WASHINGTON — President Trump welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping to the United States on Wednesday evening, marking the beginning of a three-day state visit with the announcement of a trade truce lasting until January 10. Trump, accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump, greeted Xi at Joint Base Andrews, a departure from Xi's lack of a similar welcome during Trump's visit to Beijing in May. The last instance of an American president greeting a world leader at the base was in 1962 when John F. Kennedy met British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan.
Trump stood at the bottom of the steps of Xi’s plane, shaking his hand and escorting him down a red carpet, while a B-1 Lancer bomber flew overhead as the American national anthem played. Six F-16s and six F-22s were positioned on the tarmac, demonstrating US military capabilities.
Upon returning to the White House, Trump described the greeting as "great" and expressed that he believed Xi appreciated it, calling them "tremendous people." Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced on Fox News that the US and China agreed to refrain from escalating tariffs until at least 2027. Bessent stated, "We will extend what we call the ‘Busan Agreement,’ the economic detente between the two countries that was scheduled to end on November 10 — that is going to be extended until January 10."
Bessent also noted that there were deliverables from the Chinese side that were not satisfactory, indicating that the US has communicated its expectations to China. Xi’s visit is anticipated to address various tensions in the US-China relationship, including tariffs, fentanyl exports, artificial intelligence, and Beijing’s involvement in international conflicts such as those in Iran and Ukraine.
Trump has emphasized the importance of a strong personal relationship with Xi for the benefit of the American people, although the specifics of any agreements remain uncertain. Xi is scheduled to attend a state dinner at the White House on Thursday, where Trump is expected to showcase recent renovations, including a new granite helipad and an expanded ballroom.
The relationship between Trump and Xi has experienced fluctuations, with positive interactions overshadowed by tensions during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and the US-China trade war last year. Trump aimed to negotiate a new trade deal to address the US trade deficit and to respond to China’s export of illicit fentanyl, which led to increased tariffs on Chinese goods. In retaliation, China imposed its own tariffs.
The trade conflict saw US tariffs on Chinese goods reach nearly 150% before a de-escalation following a meeting between Trump and Xi in South Korea last October, where Xi agreed to take further action against fentanyl exports, which have resulted in approximately 488,000 American deaths over the past decade, peaking in 2022 and 2023.
China had threatened to impose restrictions on rare earth materials during the trade dispute, while the US halted advanced chip sales that could enhance China’s position in the artificial intelligence sector. A senior US official indicated dissatisfaction with Xi’s efforts to curb fentanyl smuggling, stating, "It does not appear that China has elevated this issue. China is the overwhelming, predominant supplier of precursor chemicals to the cartels in Mexico and remains so. They have made some anecdotal efforts, including a few recent arrests, but we would like to see much more systemic change."
While fentanyl-related deaths in the US have decreased, they remain high, with about 35,000 Americans dying in the past year. Factors such as the availability of testing strips and overdose antidotes, along with improved border detection, may have contributed to the decline. Trump has previously linked fentanyl deaths to his initial tariffs last year. He has recounted a past meeting with Xi in 2017 at Mar-a-Lago, where he revealed the US had conducted airstrikes on Syria while they were having dessert, saying, "We had the most beautiful piece of chocolate cake that you’ve ever seen, and President Xi was enjoying it. He was eating his cake. And he was silent."