In an unusually warm welcome by U.S. diplomatic standards, Donald Trump was on the tarmac at Andrews Base to personally welcome Xi Jinping, who began his state visit to the United States, with artificial intelligence, technological dominance and geopolitical tensions at the center of the talks.

The U.S. president and First Lady Melania Trump welcomed the Chinese president and his wife, Peng Liyuan, at Andrews military base, near Washington, shortly after 1:00 a.m. Greece time.

The two leaders shook hands and had a brief conversation in front of the cameras, while Xi’s arrival was accompanied by red-carpet honors, a welcoming party and a flyover by two B-1 bombers over the base.

🚨 JUST NOW: President Trump and First Lady Melania PERSONALLY welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping and the first lady of China on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews

And 47 personally greeted troops as they walked from the plane.

The first time in SIXTY YEARS a President has… pic.twitter.com/ZeLA7UeMBr

— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) September 23, 2026

A Rare Move by the U.S. President

The personal presence of a U.S. president on the tarmac at Andrews Base to welcome a foreign leader is considered an extremely rare move.

According to the Financial Times, the last similar instance at the specific base was recorded in 1962, when President John F. Kennedy welcomed British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan.

Trump’s decision to personally go to the airport is interpreted as a sign of the importance Washington attaches to the Chinese president’s visit, Xi Jinping’s first state visit to the U.S. in more than a decade.

The visit takes place from September 23 to 25 and includes a series of official events.

This is not, however, the first time Donald Trump has used a personal welcome on the tarmac as a message of high symbolic significance. In August 2025, he personally welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin in Anchorage, Alaska.

Red Carpet at the White House and State Dinner

As part of the visit, Xi Jinping is expected to receive full honors, including a 21-gun salute on the South Lawn of the White House, a private tea with Donald and Melania Trump, as well as a visit to the National Archives.

At the same time, the White House has invited top executives from the global technology industry to Thursday’s state dinner, including representatives from OpenAI, Apple, xAI, Microsoft, Nvidia and Meta.

The choice highlights the central role that artificial intelligence has assumed in relations between Washington and Beijing.

The New Race for Artificial Intelligence

The U.S.-China rivalry over the development of advanced technologies is one of the key issues at the meeting.

The two countries have been competing for technological superiority for years, but the race for artificial intelligence has further raised the stakes of the rivalry.

Several technology industry executives have warned about the risks of the uncontrolled development of AI, but Donald Trump has adopted a different approach, arguing that the U.S. must invest even more in order to maintain its lead over China.

“There is a SICK conspiracy against AI and Data Centers and the only one who is happy is China. Whoever wins AI, wins! We are ahead of China and everyone else and we will continue to be,” the U.S. president had written on the Truth Social platform.

He and members of his administration have repeatedly argued that leadership in artificial intelligence is directly linked to a country’s economic and military power.

Trade, Tariffs and Geopolitical Balances

Trump and Xi’s talks are expected to cover a wide range of issues, from trade relations and tariffs to critical raw materials and technology.

Despite the symbolic warmth of the welcome, differences between the two countries remain deep. Washington and Beijing continue to compete for global influence, with technology now constituting one of the most important areas of rivalry.

Trump’s decision to personally welcome Xi upon his arrival nevertheless demonstrates the U.S. side’s effort to give the meeting the character of a diplomatic event of the highest significance.