Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Washington on Wednesday for a three-day state visit and received an unusually elaborate welcome from U.S. President Donald Trump at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.
Trump and First Lady Melania Trump personally greeted Xi and Chinese First Lady Peng Liyuan on the tarmac—an uncommon gesture for a visiting foreign leader. The ceremony featured a 100-foot red carpet, a 21-member honour cordon, military contingents, national flags and anthems, a salute battery and a flypast by two U.S. Air Force B-1 bombers.
The high-profile reception marked the beginning of Xi’s first state visit to Washington in more than a decade. The leaders are expected to hold formal discussions on trade, technology and artificial intelligence, as well as broader issues involving Taiwan and Iran.
The elaborate ceremony came as Washington and Beijing agreed to extend their existing trade truce until January 10, giving both sides additional time for negotiations on tariffs and other economic disputes.
The visit will also include a formal White House ceremony, military review and state dinner, with the summit taking place amid continuing U.S.-China disagreements on trade, technology and strategic issues.
