Trump rolls out 100-foot-long red carpet for Xi's arrival
What's the story
United States President Donald Trump welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping in a grand ceremony at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, on Wednesday. The elaborate reception reportedly included a 100-foot-long red carpet, a salute battery, a 21-person honor cordon, and color teams with US and Chinese flags. Two B-1 bombers flew over the airbase as part of the welcome, adding to its grandeur.
Unique gesture
Trump's rare gesture
Trump's decision to personally greet Xi at the airport was a rare gesture, with this being the first time since 1962 that a US president had welcomed a foreign leader at an airport.
Ahead of Xi's arrival, Trump said he wanted to match the pageantry of the welcome he received during his visit to China earlier this year.
First Lady Melania Trump told Fox & Friends that Trump wanted to welcome Xi personally because "they have a great relationship."
Twitter Post
Watch video here
NOW: President Trump has greeted Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington, DC with the following:
— Jordan Conradson🇺🇸 (@ConradsonJordan) September 23, 2026
- 100-foot-long red carpet
- Salute Battery
- 21-Person Honor Cordon
- 2 three-person color teams to include the U.S. and Chinese flag
- USAF band playing fanfare and… pic.twitter.com/X7W0oOtc2u
Diplomatic talks
Discussions during Xi's visit
Xi's three-day state visit to Washington will include discussions on trade, tariffs, technology, artificial intelligence, military ties, Taiwan, and Iran.
The visit will also touch upon the Russia-Ukraine war.
The visit will also include a formal welcome at the White House, another flyover, talks in the Oval Office, and a state banquet on Thursday.
The evening will feature a black-tie dinner with tech industry leaders like NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk attending.
State banquet
US, China agree to extend trade truce
Ahead of Thursday's program, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the two countries had agreed to extend their trade truce until January 10.
The arrangement was due to expire on November 10, Reuters reported.
While the trade truce has been extended, Bessent told Fox News that it was not yet clear if a deal could be negotiated by January 10.
He said Washington was pressing China to "be a bit more fulsome" in meeting its commitments under the existing deal.