WASHINGTON—US President Donald Trump will offer an unusual welcome to Chinese President Xi Jinping during his upcoming state visit: he will personally go to the airport to participate in the arrival ceremony.
According to information confirmed to AFP by a US official,
Trump will be present at Joint Base Andrews, outside Washington, when Xi's
plane lands next Wednesday, September 23, at around 4:00 p.m. local time.
The US president's presence on the tarmac represents a rare
diplomatic gesture. Trump usually greets heads of state during official
ceremonies at the White House, so his attendance at the airport to personally
welcome Xi is a particularly significant protocol gesture.
Xi's visit to Washington will include a meeting with Trump
at the White House, where the two leaders are scheduled to discuss various
issues in the bilateral relationship, including trade, artificial intelligence,
and international tensions related to Iran.
The meeting comes at a time of significant differences
between Washington and Beijing, with issues such as tariffs, Taiwan, access to
advanced technology, and strategic minerals among those straining relations
between the world's two largest economies.
The state visit will also be the second meeting between
Trump and Xi this year, in a renewed effort to keep channels of dialogue open
between the two governments.