Trump to Greet China's Xi With Rare Planeside Welcome
The president's gesture underscores the ceremonial importance of Xi Jinping's state visit, despite high tensions between the U.S. and China.
Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to receive a rare greeting from President Donald Trump upon his arrival in Washington on Wednesday, with Trump planning to be on the tarmac to welcome Xi's plane. This gesture, rather than waiting for Xi to arrive at the White House, signifies the extraordinary level of honor being bestowed upon China's leader for his first state visit in over a decade.
The three-day visit is scheduled to be filled with ceremony, including a formal state dinner at the White House on Thursday, mirroring the grandeur of Trump's May visit to China. This elaborate welcome comes at a time of elevated tensions between the two geopolitical rivals concerning trade, artificial intelligence, Iran, and China's ambitions regarding Taiwan.
Beyond aiming to maintain "strategic stability" between the nations, Trump appears to be employing significant diplomatic displays to impress Xi. He has publicly praised Xi as a "great leader" and described their relationship as warm, often overlooking contentious issues.
However, not all have welcomed the diplomatic outreach. Mississippi Senator Roger Wicker, Republican chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, criticized the "lavish welcome," stating that Trump should not have invited Xi given the "troubling issues" with the Chinese Communist Party. Wicker suggested that Trump should use the meetings to address China's military buildup, its support for Iran, and its regional dominance, emphasizing Xi's authoritarian rule.
Trump has expressed enthusiasm for the visit, highlighting preparations for a new helicopter landing pad at the White House. The planned reception aims to match the pageantry Trump experienced in Beijing, where Chinese Vice President Han Zheng met him, and a long red carpet was accompanied by an honor guard, a military band, and cheering schoolchildren.
Following the airport ceremony, Thursday's schedule includes an arrival at the White House and a troop review. The state dinner, attended by technology leaders such as Nvidia's Jensen Huang and SpaceX's Elon Musk, is expected to precede closed-door discussions on critical issues, though significant breakthroughs are not anticipated.
The visit concludes on Friday with a private tea at the White House for Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, with the Trumps, followed by a tour of the National Archives to view historical documents.