White House releases rare photos of Xi Jinping laughing with Trump: Why China won’t see them

US President Donald Trump (L) and China's President Xi Jinping shake hands as they arrive for talks at the Gimhae Air Base, located next to the Gimhae International Airport in Busan on October 30, 2025. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP)

Chinese President Xi Jinping is known around the world for his stern, serious appearance. Over his more than decade-long rule, Xi has cultivated an image of discipline and authority, rarely showing signs of levity in public. But a recent release of photos by the White House has surprised many, as they show the Chinese leader grinning and even laughing during a meeting with former U.S. President Donald Trump.

The images, captured during the US-China summit in South Korea, have gone viral, revealing a side of Xi that most Chinese citizens have never seen.

The White House published over 40 photos of the Trump-Xi meeting held at Naraemaru, a reception hall inside the Gimhae Air Force Base at Gimhae International Airport in Busan. The collection, titled “U.S. President Donald Trump Participates in a Bilateral Meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping,” includes 38 color and four black-and-white pictures.

The photos show Xi and Trump seated across from each other with aides on both sides. In one particular frame, Xi appears amused before breaking into laughter after Trump shows him a piece of paper. It remains unclear what was written on it, but the image of a smiling Xi quickly became one of the most talked-about moments from the summit.

This is not the first time Xi has been caught sharing a laugh recently. Last month, he was seen joking while exchanging gifts with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung. Lee presented Xi with a wooden Go board, while Xi gifted Lee two Xiaomi phones made in China.

“How is the communication security?” Lee asked, smiling, in a pointed reference to China’s reputation for surveillance and data control. The question drew laughter from Xi and others present.

“You can check if there’s a backdoor,” Xi replied, prompting even more laughter.

China has long faced accusations of embedding “backdoors,” or secret access points for hackers or intelligence agencies, in its technology products, something Beijing has consistently denied.

Inside China, photos of Xi laughing or appearing casual are almost never seen. On state-controlled media and social platforms like Weibo, Douyin, and Xiaohongshu, the Chinese leader’s image is tightly curated. Unlike leaders in other major economies, Xi rarely appears relaxed or informal.

This image control is deliberate. Analysts say it helps maintain the perception of Xi as a disciplined, almost infallible figure, a leader who embodies the authority of the Communist Party. When Xi presides over public events or delivers speeches, he is typically stoic, wearing a tailored suit styled after Mao Zedong’s iconic attire.

At a recent military parade and during a key Communist Party meeting, Xi maintained his usual impassive expression, signaling strength and control even amid speculation about internal party rifts.

Xi’s leadership has been marked by an extensive anti-corruption campaign and the removal of several top officials, consolidating his position as the most powerful Chinese leader since Mao. His ideology, known as “Xi Jinping Thought,” was enshrined into China’s school and university curricula in 2017, a privilege previously reserved for Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping.

No other leader since Mao has achieved such status while still in office. Deng’s name was added posthumously in 1997, highlighting the extraordinary political clout Xi has accumulated.

This centralisation of power has come with strict image management. Any portrayal that undermines Xi’s authority or mocks his persona is swiftly censored. One of the most famous examples is China’s ban on Winnie the Pooh, after internet users began comparing the cartoon bear to Xi.

The comparisons first appeared in 2013 when Xi met then-US President Barack Obama, spawning viral memes that likened the two leaders to Winnie the Pooh and Tigger. The Chinese state later banned the 2018 film Christopher Robin, and in 2023, Hong Kong authorities blocked Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey, citing security concerns.

For most of the world, seeing Xi Jinping laugh may seem trivial. But in the context of China’s tightly controlled political culture, it stands out as a rare moment of authenticity. Whether this new, lighter portrayal signals a shift in how Beijing wants Xi to be seen internationally remains to be seen.

For now, the images offer a glimpse of a leader who, despite his calculated public persona, is still capable of breaking into laughter, especially when Donald Trump is in the room.