Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in the United States on Wednesday for a three-day state visit, marking his first visit to Washington in more than a decade and his second face-to-face meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump this year.
Xi and Chinese First Lady Peng Liyuan landed at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, where Trump and First Lady Melania Trump personally greeted them. The airport welcome was notable because U.S. presidents do not routinely meet visiting foreign leaders at the airport. The reception included a military honour guard, national anthems and a gun salute.
The visit, taking place from September 23 to 25, was arranged at Trump’s invitation. China’s Foreign Ministry said Xi would hold discussions with Trump on major issues concerning bilateral relations as well as international peace and development.
The meeting comes as Washington and Beijing continue to manage disagreements over trade, technology, artificial intelligence, tariffs and national-security issues. Reuters reported that the leaders are expected to focus on maintaining stability in the relationship, with trade and other economic matters among the key areas of discussion.
On Thursday, Trump and Melania Trump are scheduled to host an official state arrival ceremony for Xi and Peng at the White House. The programme includes military performances and a flyover, followed by a state dinner in the evening.
The visit also carries diplomatic significance because it is Xi’s first state visit to Washington since 2015. It follows Trump’s state visit to China earlier this year and represents another high-level effort to maintain direct communication between the leaders of the world’s two largest economies.
While the visit is expected to feature considerable ceremony and symbolism, the substantive discussions will centre on managing differences and identifying areas where the two governments can continue to engage. The outcome could provide further indications of how Washington and Beijing intend to handle their economic and strategic relationship in the months ahead.