President Trump to Personally Greet Xi Jinping at Joint Base Andrews

US President Donald Trump will personally welcome Chinese President Xi Jinping upon his arrival in Washington next Wednesday. Mr. Trump is set to be present on the airport tarmac when Mr. Xi lands at Joint Base Andrews, according to a US official. President Xi’s aircraft is expected to land at the base around 4:00 PM local time on September 23, where Mr. Trump will join the arrival ceremony.

It is extremely rare for a US president to greet a visiting head of state directly at the airfield, as foreign leaders are typically welcomed at the White House. While noteworthy, Mr. Trump’s gesture does not fully mirror the reception he received in Beijing a few months ago; when Air Force One landed at Beijing Capital International Airport on May 13, President Xi did not greet him on the tarmac. Although Mr. Xi’s Washington visit holds significant diplomatic weight for relations between the two nations, Mr. Trump’s presence at Joint Base Andrews remains an exceptional departure from standard US diplomatic protocol.

Source: South China Morning Post