Xi kicks off highly-anticipated US visit in grand welcome
WASHINGTON -- President Xi Jinping arrived at Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday afternoon for a state visit to the United States at the invitation of US President Donald Trump.
The visit has drawn wide attention as the two countries seek to stabilize their relationship, deepen cooperation and work together to address global challenges.
RARE PLANESIDE WELCOME
Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, received a rare planeside greeting by Trump and his wife, Melania Trump, upon their arrival. After Xi and Peng descended from their plane, the two presidential couples shook hands and exchanged greetings on the tarmac.
A red carpet was rolled out for the Chinese presidential couple, with honor guards lining up on both sides to pay their respects. Two American children presented bouquets of flowers to Xi and Peng.
The welcoming ceremony also included a 21-gun salute, the playing of the national anthems of both countries and a military flyover.
The 21-gun salute is among the highest military honors accorded to a visiting head of state, but is rarely rendered at an airport.
The gesture is notable even by broader diplomatic standards, as the arrangement has been described by US media as a "rare" and "unusual" departure from protocol, as US presidents typically receive visiting foreign leaders at the White House rather than greet them at the airport.
Xi's arrival kicked off a three-day state visit to the United States, which comes just months after Trump's China trip in May. The exchange of visits between the two heads of state within six months is of historic and milestone significance, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Monday.
