A rare and unusually grand arrival ceremony marked the start of a Chinese leader’s state visit to the U.S., as the president and first lady greeted their counterpart on the tarmac at a Maryland military base rather than the White House. The spectacle included a 100-foot red carpet, a military flyover by heavy bombers, and a formal exchange of flags and national anthems, breaking from tradition. The high-profile welcome comes amid ongoing tensions between the two nations, particularly over technological competition and trade disputes. With major issues like artificial intelligence, economic policies, and regional security likely on the agenda, the summit could shape future relations between the world’s two largest economies.
US president to give red-carpet treatment to Chinese counterpart despite tensions over AI developmentTrump greets Xi – live updatesAI, trade, Taiwan and climate: what will and won’t be on agenda at Trump-Xi summitDonald Trump welcomed Xi Jinping on Wednesday evening, taking the unusual step of greeting the Chinese leader on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews to kick off his state visit to Washington.Xi’s plane was met with a lavish arrival ceremony that included a 100ft long red carpet flanked by US service members, a military flyover by two B-1 bombers and a presentation of the flags and national anthems of both countries. US presidents typically welcome foreign leaders at the White House, but Trump and first lady Melania Trump traveled to the the military base in Maryland, just outside Washington, to personally shake Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan’s hands upon their arrival in the US. Continue reading...
