Trump will be at the airport to greet Xi when China’s leader arrives for his US state visit

The first state visit by China's leader, President Xi Jinping, is set to occur in the coming week, as he arrives in Washington for crucial talks with President Donald Trump. The visit, which will also involve a few social events, will take place at the White House. A senior administration official told reporters that Xi will be greeted by Trump upon landing at Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday.

This is unusual, as Trump typically meets foreign leaders at the White House rather than the airport. The main part of the visit will happen on Thursday, when Trump and his wife, Melania, will welcome Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, at an indoor arrival ceremony on the State Floor of the White House. They will also participate in a troop review in the Rose Garden before moving into private discussions.

On Thursday, the first lady and Peng Liyuan will have a separate event while their husbands engage in talks. Later that day, the two leaders will host the Chinese delegation for a state dinner in the East Room. Trump has described the dinner as an event that many would love to attend, but lamented that the 1,000-person ballroom he is adding onto the White House will not be available due to ongoing construction.

Some of Trump's tech industry friends, including Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, Sundar Pichai, and Tim Cook, have been invited to the dinner. On Friday, Xi and his wife are scheduled for a private tea with the Trumps at the White House, followed by a tour of the National Archives to celebrate the nation's 250th anniversary. The visit will continue with discussions on tariffs, artificial intelligence, and China's rare earth minerals, which are crucial to various products.

Treasury Secretary Bessent will meet with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng over the weekend in New York to discuss economic matters.