US President Donald Trump welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping at Joint Base Andrews as Xi began a three-day state visit to Washington. The high-profile arrival came as the US and China agreed to extend their trade truce to January 10, giving negotiators additional time to address unresolved issues. Talks are expected to cover tariffs, rare earth supplies, agricultural purchases and artificial intelligence, alongside Taiwan and Iran-related issues. The visit marks Xi’s first US trip in more than a decade and comes amid continuing strategic and economic tensions between the two countries.
Trump Welcomes Xi Jinping to Washington as US-China Trade Truce Is Extended
Donald Trump has rolled out the red carpet for Xi Jinping with a rare airport welcome as the Chinese president embarks on a three-day Washington visit to discuss trade, AI, Taiwan and Iran.
President Donald Trump greeted Xi Jinping and Peng Liyuan at Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday as the Chinese leader arrived in Washington for his first visit to the US since 2015.
Trump and First Lady Melania Trump welcomed Xi and Peng as the flags of the United States and China flew overhead, and the U.S. Air Force band played at the formal welcoming ceremony.
The Chinese leader was flown in on an Air China aircraft at 17:39 local time, and a red carpet 100 feet long was rolled out for the delegation, which formed an honour guard.
The Army Air Force Band played the U.S. national anthem as two B-1 bombers flew overhead, emphasising the military and diplomatic significance of Xi’s visit.
Trump’s personal greeting of Xi at the base was an unusually high-profile protocol gesture, with the meeting marking the start of their three-day summit.
Xi and Peng exchanged a few words with Trump and Melania before the two couples walked down the red carpet, had their pictures taken, and left separately for Washington.
According to the account provided, this is the first time since 1962, when John F. Kennedy greeted British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan, saying that a US president has personally greeted a foreign leader at the base.
Trump-Xi summit puts trade and artificial intelligence in focus
The Trump-Xi summit happens as Washington and Beijing try to maintain a temporary trade truce, with disagreements still unresolved on tariffs, rare earth minerals, technology and market access.
After discussions with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington and Beijing had agreed to extend the trade truce into January.
Some US tariffs have been lowered by the deal in exchange for Chinese concessions on rare earth minerals, with officials still talking about whether a wider trade deal can eventually be reached.
Trump is expected to seek additional agreements on Chinese tariffs on U.S. goods, Chinese rare earth exports, and more Chinese purchases of U.S. farm products.
The Bush China Foundation’s David Firestein said the talks could also involve broader trade integration, while China might seek concessions on US policy on Taiwan.
Beijing may also seek to persuade Trump to delay or scrap a $14 billion arms package for Taiwan approved by Congress and to push for increased economic integration between the two countries, Firestein said.
Xi’s delegation includes Politburo Standing Committee member Cai Qi, Vice Premier He Lifeng and Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
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Xi signals cooperation as Washington prepares for state dinner
In a statement carried by Xinhua, Xi called China and the United States great nations and said their relationship should be based on partnership rather than rivalry.
Xi also said China’s national rejuvenation and Trump’s “Make America Great Again” agenda could co-exist, reinforce each other and benefit the wider world.
Another hot topic is artificial intelligence, with senior US technology executives expected at Thursday's state dinner as Washington and Beijing compete for leadership in space.
The supplied report said during his visit to Beijing in May, Trump was accompanied by US technology executives including Tim Cook, Elon Musk and Jensen Huang.
The current visit is scheduled to end Friday, with cultural diplomacy also high on Melania Trump’s agenda for Peng at the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art.
The two couples are also scheduled to visit the National Archives to see records significant to the history of relations between the United States and China.
The summit thus combines ceremonial diplomacy with lingering economic and geopolitical disputes, leaving the outcome to be determined by negotiations on trade, technology, Taiwan and broader international issues. Sprouts News will continue to monitor developments through the three-day visit.
