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President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping has arrived in Washington on his first official state visit in 11 years. US President Donald Trump’s personal welcome for Xi Jinping and his wife, Peng Liyuan, at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland has been described in diplomatic circles as an unusual protocol gesture.US presidents have rarely welcomed foreign leaders directly at an airport in recent decades.
Operative Information Center-OMM reports that the visit will include both a high-level state reception and bilateral talks aimed at managing tensions between the two countries.
Rather than the signing of a major final agreement, the discussions are expected to focus on preserving a fragile trade truce and managing risks in strategic areas:
Rare earth elements and tariffs: Beijing’s restrictions on exports of critical minerals, which are vital to the defense, electric vehicle and high-technology industries, have directly affected Washington’s supply chains. Washington says China has not fully met its export commitments and has kept open the possibility of raising tariffs again in the future.
Semiconductors, AI and technology: Against the backdrop of Washington’s restrictions on access to advanced chips, the sides are also discussing the creation of a special dialogue mechanism to reduce risks in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). The heads of technology giants including Elon Musk of Tesla and xAI, Jensen Huang of Nvidia and Sam Altman of OpenAI are also expected to attend a state dinner at the White House.
The Taiwan issue: The Trump administration’s arms package for Taiwan and Beijing’s sovereignty claims over Taiwan remain among the most sensitive issues in the talks.
The Middle East and Iran: The US side expects China, as the main buyer of Iranian oil, to use its diplomatic and economic leverage over Tehran.
