Xi Jinping arrives in U.S. for state visit at Trump’s invitation

Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, were greeted by Trump and his wife, Melania Trump, in a rare planeside welcome.

American children presented flowers to Xi and Peng, while honor guards lined both sides of the red carpet. The welcome ceremony featured a 21-gun salute, the playing of the national anthems of China and the United States, and a military flyover.

In a written speech, Xi extended sincere greetings and best wishes to the American people on behalf of the Chinese people.

“China and the United States should be partners, not rivals,” Xi said, adding that the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and “making America great again” can go hand in hand.

Xi said the two countries should work in the same direction and promote a stable relationship with cooperation as the mainstay, moderate competition and manageable differences.

Xi noted that he and Trump had agreed during Trump’s visit to China in May to build a constructive China-U.S. relationship of strategic stability, saying the agreement had provided strategic guidance for the future development of bilateral ties.

Xi also said the two countries should find the right way to get along in the new era, stressing that despite changes in the world, the historical logic of peaceful coexistence between China and the United States, the goodwill between their peoples and the general expectations of the international community for the two countries remain unchanged.

The Chinese president said he looked forward to in-depth exchanges with Trump on bilateral relations and global issues, as well as expanding exchanges and cooperation in various fields. He also expressed his intention to engage with people from all walks of life in the United States.

Xi said he believed the visit would be fruitful and contribute to the well-being of both peoples and world peace.

On his way from the airport to his hotel, representatives of overseas Chinese communities and students gathered along the road, waving Chinese and U.S. national flags to welcome his visit.

Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that Chinese President Xi Jinping was scheduled to make a state visit to the United States from Sept. 23 to 25 at the invitation of U.S. President Donald Trump.