Trump gives Xi rare airport welcome as Chinese leader begins US state visit

US President Donald Trump treated Chinese President Xi Jinping to a rare personal airport welcome Wednesday, kicking off a pomp-filled state visit aimed at smoothing superpower tensions on everything from AI and trade to Iran.

The summit is expected to be more about spectacle than substance – but there was an early breakthrough when Washington announced a two-month extension of a trade truce with Beijing that was due to expire in November.

After officials literally rolled out the red carpet, Trump and First Lady Melania shook hands with Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan once the Chinese president descended from his plane at Joint Base Andrews, a US military airfield outside Washington.

Trump, wearing a long coat and gloves, and Xi then stood side by side on the tarmac as a military band played national anthems.

A noisy flyover by two B-1 bombers clearly jolted the 80-year-old Trump, who grimaced at the roar of jets, while his Chinese guest stood by impassively.