{
  "id": 7762928,
  "title": "US military prepares ceremonial welcome for Xi Jinping at the White House",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/us-military-prepares-ceremonial-welcome-for-xi-jinping-at-the-white",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-09-16T10:03:37.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Reuters Business via SCMP",
    "slug": "reuters-business-via-scmp",
    "url": "https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3367721/us-military-prepares-ceremonial-welcome-xi-jinping-white-house"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "As Washington fine-tunes diplomatic protocols for Chinese President Xi Jinping's upcoming visit to the United States, a ceremonial welcome awaits him at the White House. A military honor guard conducted a rehearsal at the iconic residence, showcasing service members in ceremonial uniform standing in formation. This drill echoed a similar welcome extended to former President Donald Trump in Beijing on May 14, where China staged a grand ceremony with a People's Liberation Army honor guard.\n\nTrump had lauded the Chinese military's marching as \"incredible,\" and multiple photographs of the honor guard adorned by the White House and his official accounts. Renovations at the White House are being finalized, with the removal of drapes from the North Portico and scaffolding dismantling expected soon. This renovation aligns with Trump's broader series of White House construction projects aimed at completion before hosting Xi for a state dinner.\n\nBoth nations are preparing for the summit with a more restrained tone. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed a meeting with Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng this weekend to finalize preparatory talks, occurring only a week before Xi's anticipated arrival. Meanwhile, Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun addressed the Beijing Xiangshan Forum, advocating for global security governance through multilateralism. Dong emphasized the importance of maintaining stability amidst global turbulence, steering clear of naming any specific country and avoiding mention of the Taiwan issue, representing a shift in demeanor compared to his speech last year.",
  "summary": "A US military honour guard held a rehearsal at the White House as Washington fine-tuned diplomatic protocols and preparations for Chinese President Xi Jinping’s expected visit to the United States next week. A video clip posted on social media by Fox News correspondent Lucas Tomlinson on Tuesday afternoon Washington time showed service members from various military branches dressed in ceremonial…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Guardian US",
        "title": "Why is the White House being so weird about Natalie Harp again? | Arwa Mahdawi",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/why-is-the-white-house-being-so-weird-about-natalie-harp-again-arwa",
        "published": "2026-09-16T10:00:17.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "South China Morning Post",
        "title": "US military prepares ceremonial welcome for Xi Jinping at the White House",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/us-military-prepares-ceremonial-welcome-for-xi-jinping-at-the-white-7763722",
        "published": "2026-09-16T10:03:37.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}