Trump To Give Xi Rare Planeside Welcome
3 hours ago
President Donald Trump is expected to personally welcome Chinese President Xi Jinping when Xi arrives at Joint Base Andrews Wednesday evening, an unusual planeside greeting ahead of the Chinese leader’s state visit.
Trump is scheduled to meet Xi at the base after Air China One arrives outside Washington. Presidents typically receive visiting foreign leaders at the White House rather than greeting them as they step off their aircraft.
The arrival will mark the beginning of Xi’s state visit and comes as Washington and Beijing navigate disputes involving trade, technology and national security.
Trump and Xi are scheduled to hold talks Thursday, with trade and artificial intelligence expected to be among the major issues on the agenda. The two governments have also been discussing tariffs, technology restrictions and broader economic ties ahead of the meeting.
Xi is also expected to participate in a military review during the visit before attending a state dinner at the White House Thursday evening.
The visit comes as the Trump administration seeks to manage competition with Beijing while pursuing agreements in areas where the two countries' interests overlap. U.S. officials have recently discussed establishing an artificial intelligence security notification system with China that could alert each country to major AI incidents involving national security.
Taiwan and U.S. arms sales are also expected to remain important issues surrounding the visit. Beijing claims Taiwan as its territory, while the United States continues to provide defensive weapons to the island under longstanding U.S. policy.
Thursday’s meeting will give Trump and Xi an opportunity to address those disputes directly as both governments seek to define the next phase of U.S.-China relations.
Trump is scheduled to meet Xi at the base after Air China One arrives outside Washington. Presidents typically receive visiting foreign leaders at the White House rather than greeting them as they step off their aircraft.
The arrival will mark the beginning of Xi’s state visit and comes as Washington and Beijing navigate disputes involving trade, technology and national security.
Trump and Xi are scheduled to hold talks Thursday, with trade and artificial intelligence expected to be among the major issues on the agenda. The two governments have also been discussing tariffs, technology restrictions and broader economic ties ahead of the meeting.
Xi is also expected to participate in a military review during the visit before attending a state dinner at the White House Thursday evening.
The visit comes as the Trump administration seeks to manage competition with Beijing while pursuing agreements in areas where the two countries' interests overlap. U.S. officials have recently discussed establishing an artificial intelligence security notification system with China that could alert each country to major AI incidents involving national security.
Taiwan and U.S. arms sales are also expected to remain important issues surrounding the visit. Beijing claims Taiwan as its territory, while the United States continues to provide defensive weapons to the island under longstanding U.S. policy.
Thursday’s meeting will give Trump and Xi an opportunity to address those disputes directly as both governments seek to define the next phase of U.S.-China relations.
