US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping speak as Xi arrives ahead of a state visit at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. (Reuters image)
Xi is in the US from September 23 to 25 at Trump’s invitation. The White House said the formal ceremony will involve 479 military personnel from all branches of the US armed forces, military demonstrations and a flypast featuring a B-2 Spirit and four F-22 Raptors.
Chinese President Xi Jinping called on the US and China to be “partners, not rivals” as he arrived in Washington on Wednesday for a state visit. In his written arrival statement at Joint Base Andrews, Xi said the two countries’ interests are “deeply intertwined” and that China’s “great rejuvenation” and US President Donald Trump ’s goal of “making America great again” can go hand in hand. Xi, in his arrival statement, said the two countries should work towards a stable relationship with cooperation as the main focus, measured competition and controllable differences. He also said he looked forward to discussing major issues with Trump and expanding exchanges and cooperation between the two countries.
The White House said Trump and Melania will host a formal state arrival ceremony for Xi and Peng at the White House on Thursday, followed by a state dinner in the evening.
Xi and Trump are also expected to hold talks on major bilateral and international issues during the visit.