US President Donald Trump Welcomes China’s President Xi Jinping for High-Stakes Three-Day Visit

US President Donald Trump and China's President Xi Jinping met at Joint Base Andrews outside of Washington, DC on Wednesday. United States President Donald Trump welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping as he arrived in the US for a three-day trip focused on issues such as security, trade and technology.

Trump took the rare step of meeting the Chinese leader in person at Joint Base Andrews in the state of Maryland on Wednesday, marking a notable gesture by a US president in recent memory. The US president and First Lady Melania Trump greeted Xi and his wife on the tarmac during a welcoming ceremony featuring a red carpet and handshakes between the couples.

Trump and Xi then walked side by side, flanked by US soldiers, before standing for a gunfire salute and the US national anthem. This in-person greeting underscores the importance Washington places on its relationship with Beijing, whose economic growth has established it as a global power.

Despite strained relations following US tariffs on Chinese goods and subsequent retaliatory measures from Beijing, Trump has emphasized his personal affinity for Xi and his interest in maintaining strong ties. The visit includes a state dinner with tech industry leaders, a military ceremony at the White House, and a tour of the National Archives.

Both nations continue to navigate their geopolitical and economic competition, with talks expected to cover the US war on Iran, trade, technology, rare-earth minerals and US ties to Taiwan. Additionally, an 11-month tariff relief agreement between the two countries is scheduled to expire on November 10.