President Donald Trump on Friday was granted a rare glimpse of Zhongnanhai, the secretive compound that serves as the headquarters of the Chinese Communist Party. Before tea and a working lunch, the final events of his state visit, the President was taken on a garden tour by Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
Garden Tour and Rose Seeds
'There are the most beautiful roses anyone has ever seen,' Trump commented within earshot of the press. In an ornate pavilion, Xi then disclosed that he would be sending rose seeds to the President. Trump was later overheard saying that the roses would be planted in the White House Rose Garden. In August, Trump had pavers installed over the grass in the historic space and now holds outdoor dinners there, calling it the 'Rose Garden Club.'
As the President toured the outdoor spaces of Zhongnanhai, he gave a thumbs up to the press when asked if he was enjoying his visit. Chinese minders told reporters 'no questions,' as they tried to shout toward the American and Chinese leaders.
Rare Invitation
Xi spoke through a translator and explained why he had invited Trump to Zhongnanhai, a rare invite for outside leaders. 'I have chosen this place especially to reciprocate the hospitality extended to me in 2017 at Mar-a-Lago,' Xi said.
After the garden tour and tea, the President and his smaller delegation — including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer — were served a lunch of minced codfish in seafood soup, crispy and stir-fried lobster balls, pan-seared beef fillet stuffed with morel mushrooms, Kung Pao chicken, braised scallops, stewed beef in a bun, and steamed pork and shrimp dumplings. A dessert of chocolate brownies, fruits, and ice cream was also served, the White House said.
Historical Context
In April 2017, three months into the President's first term, Xi came to see Trump at his Florida club and residence, which was followed up by the President visiting China that November. Xi is now expected to be hosted at the White House this September.
'There is a lot of history at this compound,' Xi continued during the tour. 'On our way in, we stayed to look at some of the old trees. One of them is 490 years old. In other places within this compound, there have been trees that have lived to be over 1,000 years old.'
'The President was interested in learning all about that, including the Chinese roses, which we looked at. And I've agreed to send the seeds for these roses to the President as a gift,' Xi said.
Discussions on Iran and Relations
Trump said he'd had an 'incredible visit' and noted how he'd now known Xi for 11 or 12 years. 'We've settled a lot of different problems that other people wouldn't have been able to settle. And the relationship is a very strong one,' Trump said.
He noted that the two leaders discussed Iran. 'We feel very similar on Iran. We want that to end. We don't want them to have a nuclear weapon,' Trump went on. 'We want the straits open.' He added that both leaders wanted the Iran war to end. 'Because it's a crazy thing there, a little bit crazy. And it's no good, it can't happen,' Trump said.
As Xi started to respond, the American press was told to exit the room, before the Chinese leader's translator could spell out what he was saying in English. Moments before the meeting, in an interview aired on Fox News Channel with Sean Hannity, Trump had said during their Thursday meetings that Xi wouldn't firmly say that Iran shouldn't have a nuclear weapon — the basis for the US war. 'He's a pretty cool guy,' Trump told Hannity. 'He's not going to say, "that's a good point."'
