WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump is preparing to welcome Chinese President Xi Jinping to the White House on Thursday for a two-day summit marked by elaborate ceremonies and diplomatic symbolism, even as significant differences between the United States and China remain unresolved.
Xi’s visit will be his first to the White House in more than a decade. It comes as Trump moves away from his previously confrontational approach towards Beijing, although expectations of major breakthroughs on the issues dividing the two powers remain limited.
Elaborate White House Welcome Planned for Chinese President
The summit is expected to begin with a formal arrival ceremony on Thursday morning, featuring an extensive display of American military pageantry.
According to US officials familiar with the arrangements, the ceremony will involve 479 American military personnel, displays of the US and Chinese flags, at least four military bands and a flyover by a B-2 stealth bomber.
The carefully planned reception is intended to provide a prominent diplomatic setting for the meeting between the two presidents.
However, the ceremonial welcome is unlikely to conceal the disagreements that continue to shape relations between Washington and Beijing.
Despite the change in Trump’s approach towards China, substantial progress on the numerous issues separating the countries is not widely expected during the summit.
Families of Detained Americans Seek Trump’s Intervention
Ahead of the meeting, families of two Americans whom the US government has designated as wrongfully detained in China have urged Trump to raise their cases directly with Xi and press for their release.
Among those detained is Youlin Chen, a seismologist who was taken into custody by Chinese state security officers while visiting relatives in Beijing in 2024.
Chinese authorities accused Chen of espionage.
Born in China, Chen has carried out scientific research for US government and military agencies. His work has included using seismic data to improve the detection and analysis of possible nuclear tests conducted by North Korea.
His family and colleagues reject the allegations against him and maintain that he has committed no illegal act.
The families hope the summit will provide an opportunity for the US president to seek progress on the detainees’ cases as the two governments engage in high-level diplomatic discussions.
