Xi Jinping Begins US Visit With Rare Trump Tarmac Welcome

Washington: Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Washington on Wednesday for a three-day state visit, receiving an unusually personal welcome from President Donald Trump, who along with First Lady Melania Trump greeted Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland — a rare gesture rarely extended to foreign heads of state.

The visit marks the third between Xi and Trump since the US leader returned to power . Trump described the welcome ceremony as well received afterward. On Thursday, the two leaders are set to hold a formal State Arrival Ceremony at the White House, featuring nearly 480 military personnel, followed by a summit meeting and a state dinner in the East Room attended by several American technology executives, though no Chinese CEOs were included in Xi's delegation.

The visit follows the extension of a US-China trade truce by two months, originally set to expire in November, according to US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. Talks between the two leaders are expected to cover artificial intelligence safety, Taiwan, trade, critical minerals, and the ongoing war involving Iran, with Trump indicating he intends to raise concerns over China's alleged support for Tehran, including reports linking Chinese firms to intelligence-sharing activities.

The high-profile visit also offers Trump a platform to shift attention from domestic pressures, including a decline in his approval ratings tied to rising fuel prices stemming from the Iran conflict, ahead of the November midterm elections.