Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Washington on Wednesday for a three-day state visit, receiving an unusually elaborate welcome from US President Donald Trump as both countries moved to extend their fragile trade truce.
Trump personally greeted Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, at Joint Base Andrews, a rare gesture underscoring the diplomatic importance of the visit. The arrival ceremony featured a long red carpet, military honours and a B-1 bomber flypast, creating a high-profile opening to Xi’s first Washington visit in more than a decade.
The ceremonial welcome came alongside a significant economic development. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that Washington and Beijing had agreed to extend their existing trade truce by two months. The arrangement, which had been due to expire in November, will now remain in place until January 10, giving negotiators additional time to work towards a broader agreement.
Trump and Xi are scheduled to hold formal talks at the White House, with trade expected to remain central to discussions. Other major issues include artificial intelligence, Taiwan, rare-earth supplies and the conflict involving Iran. Both governments have also shown interest in maintaining dialogue over technology and economic relations despite continuing strategic differences.
The visit follows the leaders’ previous face-to-face meeting in Beijing in May and comes amid efforts by Washington and Beijing to manage tensions while maintaining economic engagement. The summit is being closely watched for progress on trade commitments, technology cooperation and broader bilateral relations.
