Xi Jinping arrives in US for state visit, gets rare tarmac welcome from Trump

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Washington on Wednesday for a three-day state visit, with President Donald Trump breaking with recent protocol to personally welcome him at Joint Base Andrews.

Trump and first lady Melania Trump were at the Maryland military base for the arrival ceremony for Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan. The unusual planeside reception underscores the ceremonial importance Washington has attached to Xi’s first state visit to the US capital in more than a decade.

Trump’s welcome at Joint Base Andrews marked a departure from usual presidential protocol. According to C-SPAN’s records of presidential events, the last time a US president personally received a foreign leader at the Maryland military base was in 2015, when Barack Obama welcomed Pope Francis.

Trump and Xi exchanged handshakes and brief remarks after the Chinese president arrived for his first US trip in nearly three years. A military band played during the ceremony, while ceremonial cannon fire accompanied the welcome.

At one point, Trump appeared to wince as a B-1 bomber flew overhead. The two leaders later left the base separately, with their formal talks scheduled for Thursday.

The visit will combine elaborate pageantry with difficult negotiations over trade, technology, Taiwan, Iran and other disputes between the world's two biggest economic powers.

The leaders are due to hold talks on Thursday, with expectations of a major breakthrough remaining limited.

The 11-month US-China trade truce is set to expire on November 10, although Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington is open to extending it or negotiating a broader agreement. Bessent made the comments after meeting Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng for the second time ahead of the summit.

The two sides could still reach narrower agreements, including on sector-specific tariffs, countering drug trafficking and expanding military-to-military communication.

Cooperation on artificial intelligence could also feature in the discussions as Washington and Beijing compete for technological leadership while seeking to manage the risks posed by rapidly developing AI systems.TAIWAN, EXPORT CONTROLS REMAIN STICKING POINTS

Taiwan is expected to be one of the most difficult issues at the talks. Xi is likely to reiterate Beijing's claim over the self-governed island, while Washington is expected to maintain its restrictions on exports of sensitive technology to China.

Xi is also expected to press Trump to reduce US arms sales to Taiwan. The Trump administration approved an $11 billion arms package for Taiwan in December, the largest such sale to the island, while another package worth about $14 billion has remained on hold.

Trump has previously described US arms sales to Taiwan as a negotiating tool.IRAN ADDS ANOTHER LAYER OF TENSION

Iran is another issue that could test the two leaders. Beijing maintains close ties with Tehran, and Washington believes China could potentially use its influence to help break the deadlock in the conflict.

Trump, however, has said he does not need China's assistance.

China, the world's largest oil importer, has also taken steps that helped steady crude markets after the war began, including reducing demand and releasing strategic stockpiles. At the same time, Washington has held back secondary sanctions on major Chinese banks despite its earlier threats against countries continuing business with Iran.A STATE VISIT HEAVY ON CEREMONY

Xi's visit includes a formal state dinner at the White House on Thursday, with technology executives including Apple CEO Tim Cook, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman expected to attend.

The programme also includes a military ceremony at the White House featuring jet flyovers and a visit to the National Archives, where the original US Constitution and Declaration of Independence are housed.

The elaborate programme is intended to reciprocate the ceremonial treatment Trump received during his May visit to China.advertisementNO EASY COMPROMISE EXPECTEDDespite the carefully choreographed diplomacy, the two leaders enter the meeting with sharply different assessments of their countries' positions.

Former White House official Edgard Kagan said Trump believes the US economy will strengthen over time, while Xi believes China is gaining ground and that the balance of power is shifting in Beijing's favour.

The summit comes as Trump faces domestic pressure over rising energy prices and public discontent over the war with Iran ahead of November's congressional elections. Xi, meanwhile, has presided over strong Chinese foreign trade while confronting weak household spending and a prolonged property-market downturn.

The leaders could meet again later this year, potentially at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in China in November or the G20 meeting in the US in December.- EndsWith inputs from agenciesPublished By: Nitish SinghPublished On: Sep 24, 2026 03:53 IST