Xi Jinping Arrives in Washington for State Visit, Receives Rare Planeside Welcome from President Tru

Xi Jinping Arrives in Washington for State Visit, Receives Rare Planeside Welcome from President Trump

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23, 2026— Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Washington on Tuesday afternoon for a state visit to the United States at the invitation of U.S. President Donald Trump. Xi was accompanied by his wife, Peng Liyuan.

Upon their arrival at Joint Base Andrews outside Washington, President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump personally welcomed Xi and Peng at the foot of their aircraft. It is unusual for a sitting U.S. president to greet a visiting foreign leader at the airport, and the rare planeside reception underscored the significance both governments have attached to the visit.

During the welcoming ceremony, American children presented flowers to Xi and Peng. An honor guard lined both sides of the red carpet as a military band played the national anthems of China and the United States. The ceremony also featured a 21-gun salute and a military aircraft flyover.

Trump welcomed Xi and Peng to Washington, describing the visit as a moment of global importance. He said he looked forward to holding in-depth discussions with the Chinese president and advancing relations between the world’s two largest economies.

In a written statement issued upon his arrival, Xi extended sincere greetings and best wishes to the American people on behalf of the Chinese people.

“China and the United States are both great countries, and the Chinese and American peoples are both great peoples,” Xi said. He noted that the two peoples have maintained friendly exchanges over many years and that the interests of the two countries have become deeply intertwined.

Xi emphasized that China and the United States “should be partners rather than rivals,” adding that the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the goal of making America great again can advance side by side, contribute to each other’s success and benefit the wider world.

He called on both countries to work in the same direction and build a stable relationship characterized by “cooperation as the mainstay, moderate competition, manageable differences and the promise of peace.”

Xi said China and the United States should explore the right way for two major powers to coexist in a new era. He also expressed confidence that sustained dialogue and cooperation could further enrich what the two leaders have described as a constructive China–U.S. relationship underpinned by strategic stability.

“The world is developing and the times are changing,” Xi said, “but the historical logic of peaceful coexistence between China and the United States has not changed, the goodwill shared by the two peoples has not changed, and the international community’s expectations of China and the United States have not changed.”

Xi said he looked forward to exchanging views with Trump on major issues concerning bilateral relations and the broader international situation, while expanding cooperation and exchanges across a wide range of fields.

Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Director of the CPC Central Committee General Office, and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi arrived aboard the same aircraft.

Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, who had arrived in the United States earlier, and Chinese Ambassador to the United States Xie Feng were also present at Joint Base Andrews to receive the Chinese delegation.

As Xi’s motorcade traveled from the airport to his hotel, members of the Chinese American community, Chinese students and representatives from various sectors gathered along the route. They waved Chinese and American flags to welcome the Chinese president, creating a striking display of the two countries’ national colors in the Washington area.

Xi’s state visit is scheduled to continue through September 25. The two presidents are expected to hold formal talks at the White House on September 24, following an official State Arrival Ceremony hosted by President Trump and the First Lady.

The talks are expected to address a broad range of issues, including bilateral trade, tariff arrangements, artificial intelligence, rare earths and critical-mineral supply chains, Taiwan and major international security challenges.

The visit follows Trump’s trip to China in May and marks another face-to-face meeting between the two leaders within several months. Their reciprocal visits have placed high-level diplomacy at the center of efforts to stabilize one of the world’s most consequential bilateral relationships.

Against a backdrop of heightened economic uncertainty, technological competition and geopolitical tension, the Washington summit carries implications far beyond the two countries. Its outcome could influence global markets, critical supply chains, emerging technologies and international peace and security.

Although structural differences between China and the United States remain, continued communication at the presidential level is widely regarded as essential to managing competition, preventing miscalculation and creating opportunities for practical cooperation.

Whether this visit can further consolidate a constructive and strategically stable China–U.S. relationship will remain a major focus of international attention.

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