Trump gives Xi a rare airport welcome as summit expected to be more spectacle than substance

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump treated Chinese President Xi Jinping to a rare personal airport welcome Wednesday (Sept 23), kicking off a pomp-filled state visit aimed at smoothing superpower tensions on everything from AI and trade to Iran.

The summit is expected to be more about spectacle than substance -- but there was an early breakthrough when Washington announced a two-month extension of a trade truce with Beijing that was due to expire in November.

After officials literally rolled out the red carpet, Trump and First Lady Melania shook hands with Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan once the Chinese president descended from his plane at Joint Base Andrews, a US military airfield outside Washington.

Trump, wearing a long coat and gloves, and Xi then stood side by side on the tarmac as a military band played national anthems.