US President Donald Trump has greeted his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping with a military flyover and 100ft (30m) red carpet to kick off their three-day summit in Washington. The high-stakes visit - Xi's first trip to Washington since 2015 - is expected to include closed-door meetings, a state dinner, and discussions on various topics, including AI, the Iran war, and Taiwan.
Trump and First Lady Melania Trump welcomed Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan at Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday evening in Maryland. The leader of China's Communist Party touched down in an Air China plane at 17:39 local time (22:39 BST). The colour and honour guard marched up to the aircraft and stood on both sides of the red carpet as two limos pulled up.
Xi and Peng exited their plane and the two couples shook hands. They spoke briefly before walking side by side down the red carpet and posing for photos. Two B-1s flew over as the Army Air Force Band played the US national anthem. The supersonic aircraft are a key part of the US's combat arsenal.
This is the first time since 1962 that a US president has personally welcomed a foreign leader at the base, signalling the importance that Trump is giving this visit. In 1962, then-President John F Kennedy greeted British PM Harold Macmillan. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that the US and China will extend their trade truce to January.
The agreement, which saw Trump lower tariff rates on some goods in exchange for Xi loosening restrictions on rare earth minerals, was set to expire 10 November. Bessent, who spoke after meeting Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, said the two discussed if there can eventually be a more substantive trade deal between the two countries.
Xi is accompanied on the visit by Cai Qi, a member of the party's Politburo Standing Committee, vice premier He Lifeng, foreign minister Wang Yi, as well as other delegates and ambassadors from Beijing. Melania Trump has said she has been involved intimately with the planning of the itinerary, and expressed confidence that the visit would "yield fruitful results".
The visit will end on Friday, with leaders of US AI companies slated to attend the lavish state dinner set for Thursday. Trump's administration has been racing to achieve dominance in the AI sector, with the US and China having different approaches to the technology. A recent poll indicated that American attitudes towards China appear to be warming, with 57% of Americans believing the US should cooperate and engage with Beijing.
Key points
- The US and China have agreed to extend their trade truce to January.
- Xi Jinping's visit marks the first time a Chinese leader has visited the US since 2015.
- The visit includes high-stakes discussions on AI, trade, and Taiwan.
