Trump warmly welcomes Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping: Things are going well

U.S. President Donald Trump welcomed his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, at the start of a three-day state visit. The Chinese president’s plane landed at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, near Washington, in the early hours of yesterday, just before Trump warmly received Xi at the White House. Trump and First Lady Melania made a point of personally greeting Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, at the aircraft stairs on the tarmac of Joint Base Andrews, marking the first such gesture by a U.S. president in over six decades during a visit by a foreign political leader.

American children presented flowers to the Chinese president and his wife, while an honor guard lined both sides of the red carpet to render honors. The reception ceremony also included a 21-gun salute, the playing of both nations’ national anthems, and a military flyover.

Speaking to reporters, Trump said, “I think it was a wonderful, brief meeting and a wonderful reception, and I believe they appreciated it.”

Later, the U.S. president and the First Lady hosted a lavish reception for the Chinese president and his wife at the White House.

Trump praised the “great friendship” he shares with Xi, stating, “The President and I have built a friendship, indeed a truly great one, based on mutual respect and the vital interests of our two peoples. We are proud of our relationship with China.”

He revealed that “during this visit, we will also discuss urgent issues related to security, technology, and superintelligence,” the term Trump has come to use for artificial intelligence, adding, “The decisions we make in these areas today can enhance peace and prosperity for decades to come.”

During the formal reception for Xi at the White House, Trump also emphasized that the two countries maintain a good trade relationship despite their competition.

For his part, the Chinese president extended warm congratulations on the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence, noting that the interests of China and the United States are “deeply intertwined.” He called on both countries to be “partners, not rivals,” and to work toward building a stable relationship based on cooperation, keeping competition within manageable bounds, and handling differences in a way that prevents them from undermining bilateral relations.

Xi announced that “our doors are open to American companies for investment, and we hope our companies will be treated fairly in the United States.” He noted that “cooperation with Washington may not solve all the world’s problems, but many of them are difficult to solve without our cooperation.”

Xi also addressed the topic of artificial intelligence, asserting that Washington and Beijing share a responsibility to “develop and manage it in the public interest.”

Speaking at the White House, Xi said, “We have both the capacity and the responsibility to develop and manage artificial intelligence in the public interest, ensuring that its development always remains under human oversight.”

Xi urged cooperation between the two countries, emphasizing that China and the United States must be “partners, not rivals.”

In a written statement released by the official Xinhua News Agency upon his arrival in Washington, the Chinese president conveyed his sincere greetings and best wishes to the American people on behalf of the Chinese people.

He stated that China and the United States are great nations, and their peoples are great peoples, adding that the two peoples have maintained long-standing friendly exchanges and that their interests are deeply intertwined. He noted that the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the goal of making America great again can proceed side by side, enabling each to support the other’s success and enhance the well-being of the entire world.

Xi pointed out that he and Trump had agreed, during his visit to China last May, to build a constructive relationship based on strategic stability between the two countries, providing strategic guidance for the future development of bilateral relations.

He said that China and the United States must work in the same direction, strengthening a stable relationship grounded in cooperation, with moderate competition, manageable differences, and a commitment to peace.

He also called on both countries, as major powers, to find the right path for coexistence in the new era.

Xi affirmed that despite global developments and the changing times, the historical logic of peaceful coexistence between China and the United States has not changed, nor have the good intentions behind friendly exchanges between the two peoples, nor the international community’s general expectations of both nations.

The Chinese president expressed his hope to hold in-depth talks with Trump on major issues in bilateral relations and the global situation, to continuously enrich the substance of the constructive relationship based on strategic stability, and to broaden the horizons of exchange and cooperation across various fields.

He also expressed his desire to engage in broad communication with various segments of American society to deepen friendship.

He stated that he believes the visit, through joint efforts, will certainly yield fruitful results, enhance the well-being of both peoples, and add hope for global peace.

On his way from the airport to his residence, representatives of the Chinese community and students lined both sides of the road, waving the flags of China and the United States to warmly welcome his visit.

The Republican president organized further ceremonies of honor and hospitality for Xi yesterday, beginning with a formal reception in the White House South Lawn, accompanied by the flyover of a B-2 stealth bomber and four F-22 Raptor fighter jets, followed by talks in the Oval Office and concluding with a lavish state dinner.

Xi will conclude his visit this Friday morning with a tea meeting between the two presidents and their first ladies at the White House, followed by a visit to the National Archives, where the U.S. Declaration of Independence is preserved.

On the sidelines of the visit, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced the reaching of an agreement to extend the trade truce between the two countries by two months, after it was scheduled to expire on November 10.

This is Xi’s first state visit to the White House in over a decade.

The aim of this third meeting between the two presidents since Trump’s return to the presidency is to maintain the current general de-escalation despite existing tensions. Leaders of major technology and artificial intelligence companies were invited to the dinner, although Xi’s delegation does not include corporate executives.