China's Xi arrives in US to personal Trump welcome

A flyover by two B-1 bombers added to the spectacle, with Trump briefly grimacing at the roar of the aircraft while Xi remained impassive. Trump later dismissed the fact that Xi had not offered him a similar airport welcome during his visit to Beijing in May.

"I thought it was a great little meeting, a great greeting, and I think they appreciate it," Trump House. Xi said the United States and China should be partners rather than rivals. In written remarks carried by China's state news agency Xinhua, he said the visit was expected to be fruitful through joint efforts.

Trade, Iran and AI on Agenda. The lavish visit, Xi's third meeting with Trump since the US president returned to office, includes a formal welcome, another flyover, Oval Office talks and a state banquet at the White House on Thursday.

The visit will conclude Friday with tea for the two presidential couples at the White House, followed by a visit to the National Archives, which houses the US Declaration of Independence. While relations have stabilized somewhat since Trump's visit to Beijing four months ago, analysts say the underlying strategic rivalry remains largely unchanged.

Expectations for major breakthroughs are low, with the ceremony intended in part to reinforce a fragile period of calm. Iran will be among the issues discussed, Trump confirmed, despite previously downplaying reports that China had supplied Tehran with intelligence during the conflict.

Trade tensions are also expected to feature prominently. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced after pre-summit talks that Washington and Beijing had extended their existing trade truce. The economic agreement, previously due to expire on November 10, will now run until January 10, Bessent said.

However, hopes for major business announcements have been tempered by the absence of Chinese chief executives from Xi's delegation, AFP.Artificial intelligence is another major focus. China and the United States are competing for leadership in a technology both governments regard as strategically important.

Preliminary talks between Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng included discussions about establishing a communication channel for AI-related concerns. Jonathan Czin of the Brookings Institution said the broader goal was to maintain an informal understanding aimed at reducing tensions while the two countries continue to compete.

Criticism at Home. Trump's elaborate welcome has drawn criticism from China hawks in his Republican Party, particularly amid allegations that Beijing provided Iran with intelligence used against US forces. Republican Senator Roger Wicker, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said Trump should remember that Xi is an authoritarian leader who was not elected through a US-style democratic process.

For Trump, the visit also comes as the Iran conflict and its impact on fuel prices weigh on his domestic political standing ahead of November's midterm elections. The last US president to personally welcome a foreign leader at Andrews, apart from papal visits, was John F.

Kennedy in 1962. Trump also greeted Russian President Vladimir Putin when he arrived in Alaska last year.