In a solemn welcome, US President Donald Trump greeted his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews, just outside Washington DC, on Wednesday, at the start of a three-day state visit. This is Xi’s first visit to the United States in more than a decade, coming after their top officials agreed to extend a trade truce until January.
The truce, which sees both countries roll back some tariffs and refrain from imposing new trade restrictions, was announced by Trump’s Treasury Secretary Bessent in an interview on Fox News. “I don’t know if a bigger deal can be done. I don’t know if we’ll just extend the current deal,” Bessent said, adding that upcoming international summits in China in November and in Florida in December could offer further opportunities to discuss the issue.
In a message published on his arrival in the US, where he is accompanied by his wife Peng Liyuan, the Chinese leader wrote that China and the United States “must be partners, not rivals”. “The great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and making America great again can go hand in hand, and the two countries can contribute to each other’s success, to the benefit of the whole world,” he added.
In remarks carried by Chinese state media, Xi also said he looked “forward to in-depth exchanges with President Trump on major issues concerning our bilateral relations and the global situation”. Trade, alongside artificial intelligence, Trump’s war on Iran and China’s stance on Taiwan, are among the main points of contention between the two superpowers, but this visit is expected to be more about symbolism than substance.
Pushback from Republicans
At the same time, the reception for Xi has drawn criticism from some Republicans. Senator Roger Wicker, chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee, denounced “this lavish welcome”, telling the chamber on Tuesday that Trump should not have invited the Chinese leader “given all the troubling issues we have with President Xi and the Chinese Communist Party”.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, meanwhile, said the US and China must keep their relationship at the highest level, as the two countries are “the world’s two largest economies” and “probably the two most powerful militaries in the world”.
Visit itinerary
Xi’s first state visit to the US in more than a decade will feature an official welcome banquet, another aerial flyover, talks in the Oval Office and a state dinner at the White House on Thursday. It is due to conclude on Friday, after tea at the White House and a visit to the National Archives, where the US Declaration of Independence is kept.
