First state visit in 11 years — Trump makes rare airport welcome; Melania joins three events

Trade, security talks loom as Washington pulls out all stops to soften Beijing's stance

President Donald Trump (left) and Chinese President Xi Jinping pose for a photo upon arriving at a state dinner at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Sept. 14 (local time). [AP]
President Donald Trump (left) and Chinese President Xi Jinping pose for a photo upon arriving at a state dinner at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Sept. 14 (local time). [AP]

President Donald Trump will deploy a B-2 Spirit strategic bomber and F-22 Raptor fighter jets to welcome Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is making his first state visit to the United States in 11 years. Trump will make the unusual move of greeting Xi personally at the airport, and first lady Melania Trump — rarely seen at official functions — is set to join three separate events during the visit. The display is widely seen as Trump's bid to draw concessions and a more flexible stance from Xi ahead of high-stakes talks on trade and security.

According to the White House on Monday (local time), Trump will personally receive Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, at Joint Base Andrews near Washington on Wednesday afternoon.

It is highly unusual for a sitting US president to travel to an airport to greet a foreign leader — a signal that Washington intends to extend the highest possible honors from the moment Xi sets foot on American soil.

Xi's state visit is his first to the United States since 2015.

The centerpiece of the welcome unfolds Thursday at the White House, where an official state arrival ceremony is scheduled before the summit, with both couples in attendance.

A US military honor guard will stand in formation as an Army trumpet ensemble sounds a fanfare. The Marine Corps band will then play the Chinese and American national anthems in succession, followed by welcoming remarks from Trump and a response from Xi.

A full military review will take place in the White House Rose Garden, with Army and Marine Corps bands among the units taking part.

The US military's most elite air assets will also make an appearance: one B-2 Spirit strategic bomber and four F-22 Raptor fighters are scheduled to perform a celebratory flyover above the White House.

Deploying strategic military assets — symbols of overwhelming American power — at a foreign leader's welcome ceremony is an approach Trump has used before with other heads of state.

When Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman visited the White House last year, F-35 fighters performed a welcome flyover.

At last year's summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, Trump arrived at the military base ahead of Putin to receive him. On that occasion, a B-2 and four F-35s performed a flyover while four F-22s were lined up on the tarmac.

This time, with Xi arriving on a full state visit, both the B-2 and the F-22 will appear together.

Melania Trump, often called the "reclusive first lady" for her rare appearances at official events, will also be part of the welcome.

The first lady frequently skips White House visits by foreign leaders, but this time she is expected to attend three events: the arrival ceremony, the state dinner and a private tea.

Once the ceremony concludes, the mood shifts from hospitality to hard bargaining. Trump and Xi, flanked by their top cabinet officials, will sit down to address major bilateral issues including trade and security.

While the summit is under way, Melania and Peng will follow a separate social itinerary, touring the Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art in Washington together.

A state dinner will be held that evening in the White House banquet hall. Xi's delegation and senior US political and business figures are expected to attend, with a menu symbolizing goodwill between the two countries.

The hospitality extends into the following day.

On Friday morning, both couples will hold a private tea at the White House before moving to the National Archives, where they will view historical documents tracing the arc of US-China relations.

Observers say the three-day program reflects a deliberate White House effort to highlight friendship and cooperation between the two first families — and, particularly, to elevate the prestige of the state visit in deference to China's deep regard for protocol and ceremony.

Behind the elaborate pageantry, however, tough negotiations await. The United States and China remain far apart on major issues, including trade and security.

The question now is whether Trump's lavish welcome — complete with B-2 and F-22 flyovers — and his emphasis on personal rapport with Xi will be enough to extract concessions and a more flexible Chinese position at the negotiating table.


sjy@heraldcorp.com