Shafaqna India: United States President Donald Trump arrived in Beijing on Wednesday for meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Beginning the first visit to China by a US president in nearly a decade, Trump touched down on Air Force One at Beijing Capital International Airport at 7:50pm (4:50pm PKT) after the long flight from Washington.
Ructions over Iran, trade and Taiwan loom over the highly anticipated meeting between the leaders of the world’s largest economies, which Trump had already delayed from March because of the war in the Middle East.
But Trump appeared firmly focused on business deals, with Nvidia chief Jensen Huang boarding the plane at the last minute in Alaska and Tesla’s Elon Musk also travelling on the presidential jet.
Trump was welcomed by Chinese dignitaries, a tightly choreographed formation of military honour guard and dozens of Chinese students waving US and Chinese flags as he disembarked Air Force One in the waning hours of twilight.
Pausing midway down the red carpet as the students chanted “welcome, welcome, warm welcome” in Mandarin, he punched the air and smiled broadly before departing in his limousine.
A White House official account said that tomorrow, Trump “will participate in the official state arrival ceremony, meet with President Xi Jinping, sit for multiple interviews, and hold several other official events”.
Trump and Xi will hold talks at 10:00am (7am PKT) on Thursday in Beijing’s opulent Great Hall of the People, where they will also enjoy a state banquet in the evening.
On Friday, they are set to have tea and a working lunch before the US president heads home.
‘Big deal’
This week’s trip — the first since Trump visited Beijing in 2017 — will involve highly anticipated talks with Xi on Thursday and Friday, as well as lavish pomp and ceremony.
Trump said in a social media post en route that he would be “be asking President Xi, a Leader of extraordinary distinction, to ‘open up’ China so that these brilliant people can work their magic, and help bring the People’s Republic to an even higher level”.
