US President Donald Trump has given Chinese President Xi Jinping a high-profile welcome to Washington as the two countries move to extend their fragile trade truce and prepare for closely watched talks on trade, technology and wider geopolitical tensions.
Xi arrived at Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday for a three-day state visit, his first trip to the United States in nearly three years. Trump and first lady Melania Trump greeted Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, on the tarmac in a rare presidential welcome featuring a military band and ceremonial honours.
The arrival came as US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington and Beijing had agreed to extend their existing trade truce by two months, pushing the arrangement from its scheduled Nov. 10 expiry to Jan. 10. The extension is intended to provide additional time for the two sides to work toward a broader trade agreement.
The truce has helped ease some of the tariff tensions between the world’s two largest economies, but major disagreements remain. Trade and technology are expected to feature prominently in Thursday’s Trump-Xi meeting, alongside disputes involving rare-earth minerals, Taiwan, artificial intelligence and China’s relationship with Iran.
The two leaders are also expected to discuss areas where cooperation could expand, including efforts against drug trafficking, military-to-military communication and potential dialogue on artificial intelligence. Trump is also expected to raise the issue of Americans and other people detained in China, according to people familiar with the plans.
Despite the elaborate welcome, expectations for a sweeping breakthrough remain limited. The two governments continue to differ over technology controls, Taiwan and strategic minerals, while both sides are seeking to protect their own economic and security interests.
Xi’s visit marks an important moment in the relationship between Washington and Beijing, with both governments seeking to maintain economic stability while managing deeper strategic competition. The extension of the trade truce gives negotiators more time, but the coming talks will show whether that pause can develop into a longer-term agreement.
