Trump welcomes China's Xi Jinping to Washington for state visit

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Washington on Wednesday evening and received a rare airport welcome from President Donald Trump at Joint Base Andrews. Trump greeted Xi and Peng Liyuan in person with a red carpet ceremony, honor guard, flyover and other honors. The visit is Xi’s first state visit to the U.S. capital in more than a decade, and the two leaders are set to hold formal talks Thursday.

Xi’s plane landed at Joint Base Andrews at about 5:40 p.m. Wednesday.

The welcoming ceremony included a 100-foot red carpet, a 21-person honor cordon, flower presenters, platoons from each military service and a flyover by two B1 bombers.

It was about 65 degrees F, but Trump wore black gloves and a long coat while greeting Xi.

A former State Department official said Trump’s deference gives Beijing propaganda value and may signal weakness to China.

Published Sep 24, 2026 8:51 am KST

U.S. President Donald Trump, right, and Chinese President Xi Jinping look on during an arrival ceremony at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, Sept. 23, in this Getty Images photo. AFP-Yonhap

WASHINGTON — Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Washington Wednesday evening, where he received a rare greeting from President Donald Trump, who met his counterpart at the base’s airport instead of waiting for him to drive to the White House.

Trump’s decision to greet Xi shows how far the U.S. president is going to honor China’s leader as he made his first state visit to the U.S. capital in more than a decade.

Xi says China and the US should be ‘partners, not rivals’

In a statement marking his arrival in the U.S., China’s leader wrote that his country and the U.S. “should be partners, not rivals. Achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and making America great again can go hand in hand and the two countries can contribute to each other’s success, thereby benefiting the wider world.”

Xi’s statement also suggested that the two sides “should move toward each other and work together to build a stable relationship – one where cooperation is the mainstay, competition is kept within proper limits, differences are managed and peace can be expected.”

In brief comments to reporters upon returning to the White House, Trump said of going to greet Xi’s plane, “I think they appreciate it, tremendous people.”

The airport pomp delivers a propaganda win for Beijing, former diplomat says

Danny Russel, a State Department official during the Obama administration, said President Trump has given the Chinese leader Xi Jinping what Beijing wanted.

“Such extreme deference is valuable evidence that China’s leader is now held in extraordinarily high esteem by the president of the United States,” said Russel, now a distinguished fellow at Asia Society Policy Institute.

“Beijing uses this at home and internationally to show China’s — and Xi’s — growing stature,” Russel said.

And it may not serve U.S. interests, because Beijing is likely to “see this level of deferential accommodation as an indicator of weakness,” he said.

From left, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Chinese First Lady Peng Liyuan, U.S. President Donald Trump, and U.S. First Lady Melania Trump stand during an arrival ceremony at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, USA, Sept. 23. EPA-Yonhap

Xi bids goodbye to the Trumps at the airport

After a brief exchange with President Trump on the tarmac, Xi walked over a few steps to shake hands with Melania Trump and bid farewell to the couple. Xi had a smile on his face and looked relaxed.

Both Xi and his wife Peng were seen entering their vehicle, and the Trumps waited a while before walking off.

The two leaders are set to meet Thursday for formal talks.

Trump sports black gloves and a long coat for Xi welcome

The president appeared to be the only one dressed in cold-weather attire. He took gloves on and off multiple times for rounds of handshakes with Xi and Peng.

It was about 65 degrees F (18 degrees C) with a brisk breeze, according to the National Weather Service.

Greeting for Xi in Washington echoes Trump rolling out red carpet for Putin last year

The 100-foot (30-meter) red carpet unfurled as Xi stepped off his plane outside Washington recalled a similar, extra-long one the U.S. laid out for Russian President Valdimir Putin when he touched down at a U.S. air force base in Alaska last summer.

This time, Trump and first lady Melania Trump, shook hands with Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, before appearing to chat and exchange pleasantries that couldn’t be heard.

There was a 21-person honor guard, a flyover from two B1 bombers, flower presenters, platoons from each military service and the flags and anthems of both countries.

When Putin arrived in August 2025, he shook hands with the President Trump while both grinned. The first lady wasn’t present.

Trump and Putin then took the unusual step of climbing into the U.S. president’s limo to share a ride that whisked them to ultimately unsuccessful talks about ending Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan receive flowers from youngsters next to U.S. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump as they arrive ahead of a state visit at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, US, Sept. 23. Reuters-Yonhap

Kids present flowers to Xi and wife Peng

Two American children presented bouquets of yellow-colored flowers to the Chinese leader and his wife as the U.S. president and first lady welcomed them at Joint Base Andrews.

Welcoming red carpet rolled out — with a bit of a struggle

A giant red carpet was rolled out at the bottom of the red stairs leading down from Xi’s jet. It took several U.S. service members and an animated director of sorts to unroll the carpet, steer it into place and get it straightened out.

Chinese officials briefly waited at the entrance of the jet while the carpet was adjusted.

The US rolls out 100-foot red carpet for Xi

The Chinese president’s plane was greeted with a long red carpet, a salute with battery guns, a 21-person honor cordon and a flyover from two B1 bombers.

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump took the unusual step of appearing in person to greet Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan.

As part of the ceremony, the national anthems of both China and the U.S. were played.

China offered Trump an elaborate welcome ceremony when Air Force One touched down for his visit to Beijing in May, involving top officials and school children acting as greeters, but Xi did not attend personally.

Xi arrives for Washington visit

The Chinese president’s jet touched down at Joint Base Andrews at about 5:40 p.m. Wednesday.

The Air China jet landed while U.S. troops were gathered nearby for a welcome event.

President Donald Trump and Melania Trump were waiting at the base for a rare airport welcome for Xi and Chinese first lady Peng Liyuan.

U.S. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump on the South Lawn of the White House before boarding Marine One in Washington, DC, Sept. 23 / UPI-Yonhap

Trump is awaiting Xi touching down outside Washington

The president and first lady Melania Trump arrived at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland via chopper, then stepped into the presidential limo to wait for Xi’s arrival.

The president saluted waiting Marines upon climbing off his helicopter, then fixed his coat on the windy tarmac.

The motorcade eventually drove past a riser with assembled media waiting to cover Xi’s arrival.

Trump could be seen looking at the reporters in attendance before the motorcade headed to a white tent next to the airport terminal.

中国国家主席习近平周三晚抵达华盛顿，在安德鲁斯联合基地受到美国总统特朗普罕见的机场欢迎。特朗普亲自迎接习近平主席和彭丽媛，并举行了红毯仪式、仪仗队检阅、飞行表演等礼遇。这是习近平主席十多年来首次对美国首都进行国事访问，两位领导人将于周四举行正式会谈。

习近平的专机于周三下午5点40分左右降落在安德鲁斯联合基地。

欢迎仪式包括一条 100 英尺长的红毯、一个 21 人的仪仗队、献花者、各军种的排以及两架 B1 轰炸机的飞行表演。

当时气温大约是华氏65度，但特朗普在会见习近平时戴着黑色手套，穿着长外套。

一位前国务院官员表示，特朗普的顺从为北京提供了宣传价值，并可能向中国发出软弱的信号。

发布于2026年9月24日上午8:51（韩国标准时间）

9月23日，美国总统唐纳德·特朗普（右）和中国国家主席习近平在马里兰州安德鲁斯联合基地出席欢迎仪式。（图片来自Getty Images）法新社/韩联社

华盛顿——中国国家主席习近平周三晚抵达华盛顿，美国总统唐纳德·特朗普罕见地亲自到机场迎接他，而不是等他开车前往白宫。

特朗普决定迎接习近平，这表明美国总统在习近平十多年来首次对美国首都进行国事访问之际，对这位中国领导人给予了多么大的礼遇。

习近平表示，中美应该是“伙伴，而不是对手”。

中国领导人在抵达美国时发表声明，称中国和美国“应该是伙伴，而不是对手。实现中华民族伟大复兴和让美国再次伟大可以齐头并进，两国可以相互促进，从而造福世界。”

习近平的声明还表明，双方“应该朝着彼此靠近、共同努力，构建以合作为主体、竞争控制在合理范围内、分歧管控到位、和平共处的稳定关系”。

返回白宫后，特朗普在接受记者简短采访时谈到迎接习近平的专机时说：“我认为他们很感激，他们是了不起的人。”

前外交官称，机场的盛大场面为北京带来了一场宣传胜利。

奥巴马政府时期的国务院官员丹尼·拉塞尔表示，特朗普总统已经给了中国领导人习近平北京想要的东西。

“这种极度的尊重有力地证明，美国总统现在对中国领导人给予了极高的尊重，”现任亚洲协会政策研究所杰出研究员的拉塞尔说道。

“北京在国内和国际上都利用这一点来展示中国——以及习近平——日益增长的地位，”拉塞尔说。

他说，这可能不符合美国的利益，因为北京可能会“将这种程度的顺从视为软弱的表现”。

9月23日，在美国马里兰州安德鲁斯联合基地举行的欢迎仪式上，从左至右依次为：中国国家主席习近平、中国第一夫人彭丽媛、美国总统唐纳德·特朗普和美国第一夫人梅拉尼娅·特朗普。图片来源：EPA-Yonhap

习近平在机场向特朗普一家道别。

在停机坪上与特朗普总统简短交谈后，习近平走上几步台阶，与梅拉尼娅·特朗普握手，并向这对夫妇道别。习近平面带微笑，神态轻松。

习近平和夫人彭丽媛被看到上了车，而特朗普夫妇则等了一会儿才离开。

两位领导人定于周四举行正式会谈。

特朗普戴着黑色手套，身穿长外套迎接习近平。

主席似乎是唯一一个穿着御寒服装的人。他与习近平和彭博握手时，多次摘戴手套。

据美国国家气象局称，当时气温约为华氏65度（摄氏18度），并伴有阵阵微风。

华盛顿对习近平的接见，与特朗普去年为普京铺设红毯的做法遥相呼应。

当习近平走下飞机时，华盛顿郊外铺开了一条 30 米长的红地毯，这让人想起去年夏天美国为俄罗斯总统弗拉基米尔·普京在阿拉斯加空军基地降落时铺设的类似超长红地毯。

这一次，特朗普和第一夫人梅拉尼娅·特朗普与习近平及其夫人彭丽媛握手，随后似乎进行了交谈和寒暄，但人们听不到他们说了些什么。

现场有 21 人的仪仗队、两架 B1 轰炸机的飞行表演、献花者、各军种的排以及两国国旗和国歌。

2025年8月普京抵达时，他与特朗普总统握手，两人都面带笑容。第一夫人当时不在场。

随后，特朗普和普京采取了不同寻常的举动，他们登上美国总统的豪华轿车，一同前往最终未能成功结束俄罗斯在乌克兰战争的会谈地点。

9月23日，中国国家主席习近平和夫人彭丽媛抵达美国马里兰州安德鲁斯联合基地，准备对美国总统特朗普和第一夫人梅拉尼娅·特朗普进行国事访问。抵达前，他们接受了孩子们献上的鲜花。（路透社-韩联社）

孩子们向习和彭丽媛夫妇献花

在安德鲁斯联合基地，美国总统和第一夫人迎接中国领导人及其夫人时，两名美国儿童向他们献上了黄色的花束。

欢迎红毯铺开——虽然过程有些艰难

在习近平专机通往地面的红色舷梯底部，铺开了一条巨大的红毯。几名美国军人和一位颇具指挥性的工作人员合力才将红毯展开、摆放到位并铺平。

中国官员在飞机入口处短暂等候，同时工作人员调整地毯。

美国为习近平铺设百英尺红地毯。

中国国家主席的专机受到了长长的红地毯、鸣放礼炮、21人仪仗队和两架B1轰炸机的飞行表演的欢迎。

美国总统唐纳德·特朗普和第一夫人梅拉尼娅·特朗普采取了不同寻常的举措，亲自到场迎接习近平主席和夫人彭丽媛。

仪式期间，演奏了中国和美国的国歌。

今年5月，特朗普乘坐空军一号访问北京时，中国为他举行了隆重的欢迎仪式，包括高级官员和学生在内，但习近平没有亲自出席。

习近平抵达华盛顿进行访问

中国国家主席的专机于周三下午5点40分左右降落在安德鲁斯联合基地。

中国国际航空公司的飞机降落时，附近正聚集着美军士兵参加欢迎活动。

美国总统唐纳德·特朗普和梅拉尼娅·特朗普在基地等候，为习近平主席和中国第一夫人彭丽媛举行了罕见的机场欢迎仪式。

美国总统唐纳德·特朗普和第一夫人梅拉尼娅·特朗普于9月23日在华盛顿特区白宫南草坪登上海军陆战队一号直升机前合影。（图片来源：UPI-Yonhap）

特朗普正在华盛顿郊外等待习近平下机。

总统和第一夫人梅拉尼娅·特朗普乘直升机抵达马里兰州安德鲁斯联合基地，然后登上总统座驾等待习近平的到来。

总统走下直升机后，向等候的海军陆战队员敬礼，然后在风大的停机坪上整理了一下外套。

车队最终驶过一个高台，那里聚集着媒体记者，等待报道习近平的到来。

在车队前往机场航站楼旁的白色帐篷之前，可以看到特朗普看着在场的记者们。