Newsman: Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Washington on Wednesday. President Trump and first lady Melania Trump welcomed Chinese President Xi. A 100-foot long red carpet was unfurled at the bottom of the staircase placed at the door of Xi’s plane. President Trump and First Lady Melania stood near a staircase on the side of the plane, where they greeted Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan.
The welcome ceremony also included a flyover by two B-1 bombers, platoons from each military service, and a presentation of the flags and anthems of both countries. Trump and his wife spoke to their counterparts.
“I think they appreciate it, tremendous people,” Trump told reporters after he returned to the White House Wednesday evening.
China’s leader Xi’s three-day visit is expected to be far more about pomp than substance, starting with Trump’s decision to greet Xi as he landed, rather than waiting for him to drive up to the White House.
In a statement marking his arrival in the U.S., China’s leader wrote that his country and the U.S. “should be partners, not rivals. Achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and making America great again can go hand in hand and the two countries can contribute to each other’s success, thereby benefiting the wider world.”
Trade has been one of the biggest flashpoints between the two superpowers, along with artificial intelligence, Trump’s war with Iran and China’s designs on Taiwan.
The first lady said earlier Wednesday that her husband decided to personally greet Xi when he arrived in the Washington region because “they have a great relationship.”
“He’s coming on our soil, and we need to welcome them with the most respect,” she said of Xi and his wife during an interview on Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends.”
On Friday, Xi and Peng will be back at the White House for a private tea with the Trumps before joining them on a tour of the National Archives in Washington. The White House has said they will view historic documents underscoring the relationship between the two countries.
Trump welcomes China’s Xi to Washington
