BEIJING – President Donald Trump disembarked Air Force One in China on Wednesday for the first time in nearly a decade. The Chinese rolled out a red carpet underneath the stairs of the presidential plane minutes before Trump descended and gave the waiting crowd two fist pumps.
Trump landed just after 7:50 a.m. Eastern Time, after departing from Washington Tuesday afternoon.
Trump’s arrival kicks off a dizzying two days of high-stakes diplomacy with his Chinese counterpart. The president is expected to discuss a range of potentially fraught issues with President Xi Jinping during multiple bilateral meetings.
The first time they’ll meet on this targeted trip will be at the Great Hall of the People on Thursday morning Beijing time, according to his schedule previewed by the White House earlier this week. The president will attend a state banquet with Xi on Thursday. On Friday morning, the president will participate in a photo session with Xi before sitting for tea and lunch ahead of Trump’s departure.
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Braving a temperature that topped 90 degrees with high humidity Wednesday night, 300 college students wore long-sleeve shirts to greet Trump’s arrival and chanted “Welcome, Welcome! Warm welcome!” in Chinese. The Chinese military guard also lined the red carpet.
The large-scale welcoming event was similar to what greeted Trump in 2017. During that visit, Trump and first lady Melania Trump walked down the red carpet surrounded by young children waving Chinese and American flags in overcoats due to the chilly temperatures.
This time around, the president didn’t stop to speak to the press, but he stood momentarily on the carpet to hear his greeting. Trump was met by China’s vice president, Han Zheng, according to the White House, as well as David Perdue, the U.S. ambassador to China and Chinese Ambassador Xie Feng.
“The Beast,” the armored presidential vehicle that was flown from the East Coast days earlier, was waiting for Trump when he arrived.
The president’s son Eric Trump and his wife Lara came down the plane’s steps after the president, followed by Tesla CEO and former White House adviser Elon Musk, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang.
In the press file where reporters watch events and news on live feeds, a mix of staff and reporters crowded around the only television with audio to hear the plane’s landing and the arrival celebrations.
The heads of state are expected to discuss Iran at length, as Trump travels in the shadow of the unresolved war. The president said on the way to Beijing that he plans to first request a discussion about U.S. investment in China . He said he also expected to discuss a potential deal between China and Boeing, whose CEO traveled to Beijing, as well as artificial intelligence, China’s nuclear program and trade.
While the Chinese did not officially alert the public of Trump’s visit until Monday, the city was quickly prepared for his arrival, with American and Chinese flags lining the highway leading to the airport. A skyscraper read “Beijing Welcome,” according to reporters traveling with the president.
Some people in Beijing were excited for his arrival. At the Silk Market, where foreigners go to haggle over fine silk, one woman told NOTUS on Wednesday, “America’s boss is coming.”
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