Xi Jinping arrives in US for first state visit in a decade
Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in the United States on Wednesday for his first state visit in over a decade, greeted personally by President Donald Trump at Andrews Air Force Base in an unusual diplomatic gesture. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump welcomed Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan at the tarmac, departing from tradition by meeting the guest before the White House ceremony. The three-day visit, including a formal state dinner Thursday, reciprocates the pomp of Trump's May trip to China amid tensions over trade, AI, Taiwan, and Iran. Senator Roger Wicker criticized the lavish reception, calling Xi a "brutal dictator," while Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended high-level engagement. Low expectations for breakthroughs persist, with Chinese Ambassador Xie Feng warning of "red lines" on Taiwan and development rights.