WASHINGTON, D.C., United States — Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Washington on Wednesday for a three-day visit, receiving a rare planeside greeting from U.S. President Donald Trump after top negotiators agreed to prolong an ongoing trade truce through January.
The extension was confirmed by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent during a Fox News interview, timed as Trump personally welcomed Xi at Joint Base Andrews. Under the terms, both nations will continue to hold off on new trade restrictions and maintain reduced tariff levels.
“I don’t know whether a bigger deal can be done. I don’t know whether we will just roll the current deal,” Bessent said in the interview.
Bessent noted that pushing the deadline to January 10 allows both leaders additional time to address key issues during upcoming international summits scheduled in China this November and in Florida in December.
While economic friction remains a major point of tension alongside artificial intelligence, conflict involving Iran, and Taiwan, the opening of Xi’s trip focused heavily on formal pomp. Trump broke standard diplomatic protocol by traveling directly to the tarmac to meet Xi rather than receiving him at the White House.
The elaborate tarmac welcome included a 100-foot red carpet, a 21-person honor guard, military platoons, and a ceremonial flyover by two B-1 bombers. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump greeted Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, with handshakes as they descended the aircraft.
Speaking to reporters upon returning to the White House on Wednesday evening, Trump expressed satisfaction with the interaction.
“I think they appreciate it, tremendous people,” Trump told reporters.
In a official statement issued upon landing, the Chinese leader emphasized the importance of bilateral cooperation between the two global powers.
China 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.”