[Anchor]
Chinese President Xi Jinping has just arrived in Washington, D.C. This is his first state visit in 11 years, ahead of the U.S.-China summit scheduled for tomorrow (the 25th). Let's cross over to Washington.
Correspondent Lee Hanseok, when did President Xi arrive?
[Reporter]
Yes, the special plane carrying President Xi and his wife has just landed at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, near Washington, D.C.
This marks President Xi's first visit to the U.S. in three years since the San Francisco APEC in 2023, and his first state visit to the capital of Washington in 11 years since the Obama administration in 2015.
Access to the runway and the perimeter of the base was strictly controlled under heavy security by the U.S. Secret Service and the National Guard.
A U.S. military honor guard and a military band lined up around the runway to welcome President Xi.
[Anchor]
Did President Trump go out to the airport runway himself to greet him?
[Reporter]
That is correct.
Diplomatic protocol typically dictates that when a foreign leader visits the U.S., a Chief of Protocol or a sub-cabinet level official greets them at the airport, followed by an official welcoming ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House.
However, President Trump broke with this convention by coming out to the runway at Andrews Air Base to personally greet President Xi and his wife on the red carpet at the foot of the aircraft stairs.
While former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama have visited Andrews Air Base to greet the Pope, it is an extremely rare and unconventional courtesy for a sitting president to personally go to the airport for a foreign head of state.
This is seen as both a response to the imperial-level hospitality shown by the Chinese side, such as a private banquet in the Forbidden City, when President Trump visited Beijing last May, and a calculated diplomatic move aimed at seizing the initiative and offering a conciliatory gesture ahead of full-scale negotiations.
After finishing the airport welcoming ceremony today, the two leaders are scheduled to proceed with formal summit talks and a state dinner at the White House starting tomorrow.
In particular, they will enter intense negotiations on key pending issues, including trade tariffs, AI technology controls, and the Taiwan Strait.
[Anchor]
The economic chiefs of both countries are already coordinating the agenda at the last minute, right?
[Reporter]
Yes, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent wrote on his social media that ahead of the U.S.-China summit, he held substantive discussions with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng regarding U.S.-China economic relations.
He explained that these discussions particularly focused on securing meaningful commitments that can protect American workers, farmers, and businesses.
The two reportedly met for about an hour at the World Bank headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Although Secretary Bessent did not make specific remarks, he stated three days ago that China had put forward a larger proposal. Whether to extend the existing trade war truce for another year or whether the U.S. will sign the agreement proposed by China is expected to be a new point to watch in this U.S.-China summit.
(On-site reporting: Oh Jung-shik, Video editing: Cho Moo-hwan)
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