US President Donald Trump has personally greeted Chinese President Xi Jinping on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews, a military airfield outside Washington, marking the start of a three-day state visit designed to ease simmering tensions between the world's two largest economies. First Lady Melania Trump and Xi's wife Peng Liyuan were also introduced in the ceremonial welcome, as a military band played and two B-1 bombers conducted a thunderous flyover overhead.
A Rare and Elaborate Welcome
The airport greeting was a striking gesture — American presidents almost never travel to meet arriving foreign leaders on the tarmac. The last comparable welcomes at Andrews, excluding papal visits, are believed to date back to President John F. Kennedy's reception for British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan in 1962, and President Dwight D. Eisenhower's for Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev in 1959. Trump did extend a similar courtesy to Russian President Vladimir Putin during a meeting in Alaska last year.
The symbolism of the occasion was unmistakable. Six F-22 fighter jets and six F-16s were lined up on the tarmac alongside the red carpet, projecting American military might even as both sides sought a tone of diplomatic warmth. Xi was accompanied by senior figures including his close adviser Cai Qi and Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
The three-day program includes a state banquet at the White House on Thursday, attended by top US technology executives, including the heads of major artificial intelligence companies. The visit is due to conclude on Friday morning when the two presidential couples share tea at the White House before travelling to the National Archives — home to the US Declaration of Independence.
Key Issues on the Table: AI, Trade, Taiwan and Iran
When the two leaders sit down for formal talks on Thursday, they face a crowded and complex agenda. Artificial intelligence, trade, Taiwan and Iran are all expected to feature prominently. AI is shaping up as one of the most sensitive flashpoints — with tech industry leaders warning of existential risks from the technology, even as Washington and Beijing are locked in an intense race for AI supremacy.
Preliminary groundwork was laid on Sunday, when US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent met his Chinese counterpart He Lifeng and discussed the possibility of establishing a dedicated communication channel to address AI-related concerns. Bessent described further talks held on Wednesday as "substantive" in their preparation for Xi's arrival.
Despite the pageantry, analysts are keeping expectations firmly in check. One expert from the Brookings Institution suggested there would likely be "some extension of the gentleman's agreement" between the two sides, but cautioned against anticipating any concrete breakthroughs. The broad assessment is that the primary goal of the visit is to preserve the fragile diplomatic and trade truce that has held between the superpowers, rather than resolve deep-seated disagreements.
China Playing a Longer Game
Behind the ceremonial flourish, analysts note that China's strategic posture has quietly shifted. Beijing is said to be looking beyond Trump's current term — which ends in early 2029 — and using the existing truce as an opportunity to consolidate its position on the world stage. This longer-term thinking may partly explain why, despite the presence of leading US tech bosses at Thursday's banquet, no Chinese CEOs were included in Xi's travelling delegation, according to sources familiar with the visit.
The contrast with Trump's own visit to China — during which he was notably not greeted personally on the tarmac — has not gone unnoticed. That earlier trip is documented as part of the broader diplomatic engagement between the two nations. Washington's decision to offer Xi a full ceremonial welcome underscores just how much both sides want to project stability at a moment of considerable geopolitical uncertainty.
With the formal talks still ahead, the world will be watching closely to see whether the lavish spectacle translates into anything more durable than goodwill.
