Washington: US President Donald Trump welcomed his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, with a red carpet, ceremonial cannon fire and a bomber flyover at Joint Base Andrews.
Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, stepped off their aircraft at 6.01 p.m. local time on Wednesday and were greeted by Trump and First Lady Melania Trump.
The Chinese leader’s arrival opened a programme that includes a formal welcome at the White House, a state dinner and a joint visit to the National Archives.
An Air China aircraft carrying Xi landed at 5.39 p.m. and taxied past jets parked on the tarmac. As it pulled up in front of the press risers, staff rolled out a 100-foot red carpet. Members of Xi’s travelling party left through the aircraft’s rear door.
Trump and Xi stood side by side at the end of the carpet, flanked by American and Chinese flags. A US Air Force band played the national anthem as cannons fired. Two B-1 bombers flew overhead.
Trump waited as Xi entered a black car before boarding his own presidential limousine, known as the Beast.
The White House will host the formal state arrival ceremony on Thursday morning. As many as 479 military personnel representing all branches of the US armed forces will take part.
The programme will extend across the South Lawn, State Floor and Rose Garden. A military honour cordon will line the South Drive, while Army herald trumpeters will perform as the two couples arrive.
The US Marine Band will play the national anthems of China and the United States on the State Floor. Trump and Xi are then scheduled to deliver remarks.
The ceremony will include a presidential salute, a military review and performances by military bands and drill units. A B-2 Spirit bomber and four F-22 Raptors are scheduled to conduct the concluding flyover.
Melania Trump and Peng will later visit the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art.
They will explore works reflecting centuries of artistic achievement and cultural exchange between the two countries.
A state dinner is scheduled for Thursday evening in the White House East Room.
On Friday, the two couples are due to have tea in the Red Room before travelling to the National Archives to view documents relating to the history of US-China relations. The farewell is scheduled to take place there.
Trump previously hosted Xi at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida in April 2017 during his first presidential term. He travelled to Beijing later that year, when the two leaders held talks and visited the Forbidden City.
(IANS)
