US President Donald Trump has greeted his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping with a military flyover and 100ft (30m) red carpet to kick off their three-day summit in Washington. In a rare move, Trump welcomed Xi's entourage at the airport as the US Air Force band marched on the tarmac and US and Chinese flags flew. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump welcomed Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan at Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday evening in Maryland.
The high-stakes visit - Xi's first trip to Washington since 2015 - is expected to include closed-door meetings, a state dinner, and plenty to discuss, from AI, to the Iran war and Taiwan, and an extended trade truce. The leader of Chinese Communist Party touched down in an Air China plane at 17:39 local time ( ). The colour and honour guard marched up to the aircraft and stood on both sides of the red carpet as two limos pulled up.
Xi and Peng exited their plane and the two couples shook hands. They spoke briefly before walking side by side down the red carpet and posing for photos. Two B-1s flew over as the Army Air Force Band played the US national anthem.
The supersonic aircraft are a key part of the US's combat arsenal. After exchanging pleasantries, the two couples departed in separate vehicles to Washington. This is the first time since 1962 that a US president has personally welcomed a foreign leader at the base, signalling the importance that Trump is giving this visit.
In 1962, then-President John F Kennedy greeted British PM Harold Macmillan. Also on Wednesday, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that the US and China will extend their trade truce to January. The agreement, which saw Trump lower tariff rates on some goods in exchange for Xi loosening restrictions on rare earth minerals, was set to expire 10 November.
Bessent, who spoke after meeting Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng, said the two discussed if there can eventually be a more substantive trade deal between the two countries. In a written statement published by China's state news agency Xinhua, Xi said both China and the US are "great nations, and their people are great people". "The two countries should be partners rather than rivals," he said.
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