Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife were welcomed with an elaborate ceremony and a deafening military flyover that appeared to startle President Donald Trump.
Lines of US troops stood at attention at Joint Base Andrews, where the president’s aircraft are based. F-35 fighter jets and Air Force One formed the backdrop as Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, arrived for the high-profile welcome.
A military band performed while US officials hurriedly laid out a red carpet leading toward the Chinese president’s enormous Air China jumbo jet.
As Xi stepped onto the tarmac, military aircraft thundered overhead in a flyover marking his arrival. Trump visibly winced and briefly smiled at the noise, while Xi maintained a stern, expressionless demeanor.
The formal reception echoed the ceremony Trump received during his May visit to Beijing, which also featured a lavish carpet and troops assembled at attention.
The presidential limousine, known as “the Beast,” arrived carrying Trump and First Lady Melania Trump. The couple walked to the aircraft to meet Xi and Peng, with the two couples exchanging remarks for several minutes.
However, strong winds, the roar of aircraft engines and the absence of media access made it impossible to establish what the two leaders discussed after Xi’s landing.
Trump and Melania’s personal airport greeting marked the first time in more than 11 years that a US president had traveled to an airport to meet a visiting world leader.
Trump winces as Xi remains expressionless during a roaring US military flyover
President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump welcome Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan at Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday
China’s first couple landed shortly before 6:00 pm local time and are scheduled to remain in the nation’s capital until Friday afternoon
A US Air Force flyover thundered above the runway as Xi remained composed and Trump flashed a brief smile
The previous occasion came in 2015, when Barack Obama welcomed Pope Francis at Joint Base Andrews, according to C-SPAN.
Trump had previously criticized Obama for giving Xi a “full honors ceremony with music and cannons” during a 2012 visit. “So wrong,” the then-reality star wrote on X.
The scale of this year’s reception has also unsettled some Republicans who have sharply criticized Xi. One of Trump’s allies condemned the decision to arrange what he called a “lavish” visit for a “dictator.”
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Senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi, a Trump ally in the Senate, delivered a forceful attack on the president’s approach during remarks on the Senate floor Tuesday.
“Had the White House asked me for advice, I would have suggested the president not invite Xi Jinping to Washington for such a lavish welcome,” said Wicker, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
“During every minute of dialog, our commander-in-chief should keep in mind that his guest is a brutal, unelected and oppressive dictator who seeks to dominate his neighbors and whose massive military arsenal is aimed directly at the United States of America,” Wicker added.
Despite the public display, coverage of the airport ceremony was restricted by a media blackout after Trump barred CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House.
Journalists from Fox, CBS and NBC were present but did not record the event as they followed a judge’s deliberations over a lawsuit brought by the excluded outlets against the administration.
During the media ban emergency hearing, Justice Department attorney Michael Velchik urged US District Judge Timothy Kelly to not restore reporters’ passes until after Chinese leader Xi Jinping visits, citing national security concerns.
Tensions loom in the upcoming trade talks between Xi and Trump, who are expected to address a slew of issues from technology to the future of Tehran.
The two presidents are expected to talk about AI, technology, trade, Taiwan and Iran
Members from seemingly all the branches of the US military partook in the welcome ceremony
Besides the two having bilateral negotiations, there will also be an array of cultural and social events over the three-day visit.
A state dinner will be hosted in the White House’s East Room on Thursday evening with CEOs and Cabinet members on the invite list.
The Trumps, Xi and Madame Peng will also visit the National Archives to view historical documents. Notably, the original Declaration of Independence and Constitution are housed there.
Amid the niceties, Xi is reportedly planning to press Trump on Taiwan and a $14 billion US military package that has been approved but not yet shipped to the island nation that China claims sovereignty over.
Trade will also be top of mind as the trade truce the two struck ends on November 10 and there has yet to be a breakthrough on a range of topics, including rare-earth minerals.