Xi Jinping to receive rare planeside welcome from Trump in Washington

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives in Washington Wednesday for a state visit, where President Donald Trump will greet him planeside at Joint Base Andrews, a rare honor marking Xi's first US state visit in over a decade. The three-day visit includes a formal state dinner Thursday, reciprocating Trump's May trip to China, though it occurs amid high tensions over trade, AI, Iran, and Taiwan. Taiwan has expressed confidence US arms sales will continue despite Chinese pressure. Separately, a Secret Service-run drone port, equipped with surveillance UAVs, is already operational near the White House, potentially undercutting Trump's claims that his planned ballroom drone port is needed for aerial protection.