100-foot-long red carpet and B-1 bombers: How Trump welcomed Xi to US; video
US President Donald Trump welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping at Joint Base Andrews with an elaborate military reception, including a red carpet and B-1 bomber flyover. This unusually high-profile gesture, the first since 1962 for a US president at an airport, reciprocates a similar reception Trump received in China. The leaders are set to discuss trade, technology, military ties, and global conflicts.
Why it matters
The elaborate welcome signifies the importance of the US-China relationship and sets a diplomatic tone for crucial discussions on trade, technology, and geopolitical conflicts, impacting global stability and economic relations.
US President Donald Trump welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping at Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday, rolling out an elaborate military reception as the Chinese leader began a three-day state visit to Washington.Xi and Chinese First Lady Peng Liyuan arrived at the Maryland airbase, where Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were waiting to receive them. The high-profile welcome featured a 100-foot-long red carpet, a salute battery, a 21-person honour cordon and colour teams carrying the US and Chinese flags.Two B-1 bombers also flew over the airbase as part of the welcome. The supersonic aircraft, a key component of the US military's long-range bomber fleet, are known for their distinctive loud roar during low-level flyovers.After a brief exchange with Trump and Melania, the Chinese couple walked down the red carpet before leaving the airbase in a motorcade.
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