US President Donald Trump gave Chinese President Xi Jinping an unusually elaborate welcome at Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday, personally greeting him on the airport tarmac as Xi began the first Chinese state visit to Washington in more than a decade.
The ceremony departed from established US protocol, under which presidents generally do not greet arriving foreign heads of state at airports, instead receiving them at the White House. Xi had also not greeted Trump at Beijing airport when the US president visited China in May. The gesture reflected the importance both governments attach to carefully managed symbolism and diplomatic reciprocity during high-level visits.
Xi’s Air China 747 landed shortly before 6pm, after which uniformed US military personnel rolled out a red carpet as senior Chinese officials watched from the aircraft doorway. Trump and first lady Melania Trump then walked up the carpet to the aircraft stairs, where Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, met them. The two couples shook hands before standing for the US and Chinese national anthems.
Trump had arranged an extensive ceremonial welcome for his Chinese counterpart. Military colour teams carried the American and Chinese flags, while a US Air Force band played a fanfare and the two national anthems. Two B-1 bombers also conducted a flyover as the US anthem played, combining a display of US military power with the formal reception for a strategic rival.
The flyover was loud enough that Trump winced and briefly ducked his head while saluting. He later smiled and appeared to comment to Xi about the noise, while the Chinese president showed no visible reaction.
Trump had also sought to emphasise the importance of the visit before Xi arrived. Speaking in New York on Tuesday after meeting other leaders at the United Nations, Trump said the two men would discuss a wide range of issues and described their relationship as “very good”.
“We’re going to talk about a lot, it’s going to be a great meeting,” Trump said.
He also described Thursday’s state dinner as a highly sought-after event, saying: “I tell you, everybody wants to be there. That’s the hottest ticket they’ve seen in a long time.”
The substantive talks are scheduled for Thursday and Friday, with investment, artificial intelligence and the management of US-China global competition among the issues expected to be discussed. Trump has sought to bring manufacturing back to the United States and secure Chinese cooperation, while Xi has sought to use what the source describes as a relatively sympathetic US leader to increase pressure on Taiwan and expand China’s influence internationally.
The leaders are also expected to make a Friday visit to the National Archives to view foundational US documents. They could meet twice more this year, when Xi hosts the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders in Shenzhen in November and Trump hosts the Group of 20 leaders in Miami in December.
Expectations for major announcements during the visit remain muted. US officials have argued, however, that frequent meetings between the leaders could help build trust and reduce the risk of misunderstandings if the two develop a working rapport.
