Xi Jinping's post-pandemic trips focus on Asia, Russia and the United States

President Xi Jinping's recent arrival in Washington for a three-day state visit represents his fifth international journey in 2026, underscoring a markedly selective travel pattern that emerged after the COVID-19 crisis. Prior to the pandemic, he typically made around fourteen foreign trips annually, but that average has dropped to about six since the outbreak. A 32-month period without leaving China began after his January 2020 trip to Myanmar, ending only in September 2022 with a visit to Kazakhstan.

The following year, his schedule concentrated on reinforcing ties with key Asian partners, including state visits to Vietnam, Malaysia and Cambodia, and a traditional stop in Russia. The Washington trip signals that the United States remains one of the few destinations still on his narrowed list.