OMM Redaksiyası
US President Donald Trump welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday as he arrived in the United States for a three-day visit focused on security, trade and technology, according to Al Jazeera and Reuters.
Trump met Xi in person at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, a rare move that underscored the significance Washington attaches to its relationship with Beijing.
Trump and First Lady Melania Trump greeted Xi and his wife on the tarmac during a ceremony featuring a red carpet, handshakes and a gunfire salute. The two leaders also stood for the US national anthem as soldiers lined the route.
Trade and technology tensions
The welcome came despite strained relations between the two countries. Tensions intensified after the Trump administration imposed high tariffs on Chinese goods, prompting retaliatory measures from Beijing.
Trump has nevertheless expressed personal support for Xi and said he wants strong relations with China. The countries remain strategic competitors as Beijing’s economic rise has strengthened its position as a global power capable of challenging the United States.
What is on Xi’s agenda?
Xi’s visit is expected to include a state dinner attended by leaders from the US technology industry, a military ceremony at the White House and a visit to the National Archives, which houses documents including the US Constitution and the Declaration of Independence.
The leaders are also likely to discuss the US war on Iran, trade, technology, rare-earth minerals and Washington’s ties with Taiwan, the self-governing island claimed by China.
An 11-month agreement that provided temporary relief from punitive tariffs imposed by the two countries is due to expire on November 10.
