Trump welcomes China's Xi to Washington for state visit

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Washington Wednesday evening and received a rare planeside welcome from U.S. President Donald Trump at Joint Base Andrews. Xi said China and the United States should be partners, not rivals, and urged a stable relationship with cooperation as the mainstay. The greeting included a red carpet, honor guard, bomber flyover, and flowers from two American children. Trump and Xi are set to hold formal talks Thursday.

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

Trump greeted Xi at the airport instead of waiting at the White House, departing from standard diplomatic protocol.

The welcome included a 21-person honor guard, a flyover by two B1 bombers, and the flags and anthems of both countries.

Chinese officials briefly waited while the red carpet was adjusted at the base.

Trump said after returning to the White House that he thought Xi and his delegation appreciated the welcome.

Published Sep 24, 2026 8:51 am KST

Updated Sep 24, 2026 2:01 pm 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 U.S. 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, 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 said.

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.”

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, Sept. 23. EPA-Yonhap

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, which touched down at Joint Base Andrews at about 5:40 p.m. 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.

Greeting for Xi echoes Trump's welcome for Putin last year

The 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 Vladimir Putin when he touched down at a U.S. air force base in Alaska last summer.

When Putin arrived in August 2025, he shook hands with Trump while both grinned. The first lady was not 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.

This time, Trump and the first lady appeared in person to greet Xi and his wife, a rare planeside welcome that departs from standard diplomatic protocol.

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.

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.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan receive flowers from children 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, Sept. 23. Reuters-Yonhap

Kids present flowers to Xi, 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.

Xi bids goodbye to the Trumps at airport

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

Both Xi and his wife 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.

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.”

Airport pomp delivers propaganda win for Beijing, former diplomat says

Danny Russel, a State department official during the Obama administration, said Trump has given the Chinese leader 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.

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舱迎接。习近平表示，中美应是伙伴而非对手，并强调以合作为基石，构建稳定中美关系。迎接仪式包括铺设红毯、仪仗队检阅、轰炸机飞越上空以及两名美国儿童献花。特朗普和习近平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。

特朗普没有在白宫迎接习近平，而是在机场迎接了他，这违反了标准的外交礼仪。

欢迎仪式包括 21 人仪仗队、两架 B1 轰炸机的飞行表演，以及两国国旗和国歌的奏响。

中国官员稍作等待，工作人员在基地调整红毯。

特朗普返回白宫后表示，他认为习近平及其代表团对白宫的欢迎表示感谢。

发布于2026年9月24日上午8:51（韩国标准时间）

更新于2026年9月24日下午2:01（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·特朗普罕见地在机场迎接了他，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”。

习近平表示：“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”。

9月23日，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·特朗普在马里兰州安德鲁斯联合基地出席欢迎仪式。图片来源：EPA-Yonhap

欢迎红毯铺开——虽然过程有些艰难

下午5点40分左右，习近平的专机降落在安德鲁斯联合基地，通往地面的红色舷梯底部铺开了一条巨大的红地毯。几名美国军人和一位热情洋溢的导演费了好大劲才把地毯展开、摆放好并铺平。

中国官员在飞机入口处短暂等候，同时工作人员调整地毯。

对习近平的欢迎与特朗普去年对普京的欢迎如出一辙

当习近平走下飞机时，华盛顿郊外铺开了一条 30 米长的红毯，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毯。

2025年8月普京抵达时，他与特朗普握手，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，一同登上美国总统的豪华轿车，前往最终无果而终的关于结束俄罗斯在乌克兰战争的会谈地点。

这一次，特朗普和第一夫人亲自到场迎接习近平夫妇，这种在飞机旁迎接的罕见举动有悖于标准的外交礼仪。

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。

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。

9月23日，中国国家主席习近平和夫人彭丽媛抵达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）

孩子们向习和夫人彭丽媛献花

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。

习近平在机场向特朗普一家道别

在停机坪上与特朗普简短交谈后，习近平走上几步台阶，与美国第一夫人握手，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。

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，机场盛况为北京赢得了宣传胜利

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

“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”。