Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Washington on Wednesday and received an unusually high-profile welcome from US President Donald Trump as the two countries agreed to extend their existing trade truce until January.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced the extension during an interview with Fox News as Trump greeted Xi at Joint Base Andrews. Under the truce, Washington and Beijing have agreed to reduce tariffs and refrain from introducing new trade restrictions.

Bessent said the extension until Jan. 10 would provide Trump and Xi additional time to discuss outstanding issues at upcoming summits in China in November and Florida in December. He said it remained unclear whether the two sides would negotiate a broader agreement or simply continue the current arrangement.

Trade remains one of the main areas of tension between the two countries, alongside artificial intelligence, US policy toward Iran and China's position on Taiwan. However, Xi's three-day visit is also expected to emphasize ceremonial diplomacy, highlighted by Trump's decision to personally greet him upon arrival.

A 100-foot red carpet was laid out beside Xi's aircraft, with a 21-member honor guard positioned along the sides. Trump and first lady Melania Trump welcomed Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, with handshakes.

The arrival ceremony featured a flyover by two B-1 bombers, military formations representing all branches of the US armed forces, and the national anthems and flags of both countries. Trump and Xi exchanged a few words that could not be heard by reporters, and Trump briefly placed a hand on Xi's back during their interaction.

Later, Trump told reporters that he believed the Chinese delegation appreciated the reception.

In a statement following his arrival, Xi said China and the US should view each other as partners rather than rivals. He said China's national development goals and Trump's “Make America Great Again” agenda could coexist and contribute to the success of both countries and the wider world.

Questions over the lavish welcome
Trump has repeatedly praised Xi and described their relationship as warm, while emphasizing the need to maintain what he calls strategic stability between Washington and Beijing.

Some Republicans, however, have criticized the elaborate reception. Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker said Trump should reconsider inviting Xi given the range of disputes between the US and China.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended high-level engagement, saying the US and China are the world's two largest economies and among the world's most powerful military powers.

Danny Russel, a former US diplomat and now with the Asia Society Policy Institute, said the ceremonial reception could benefit Beijing by portraying Xi as a highly respected global leader.

China sought longer trade truce
China had reportedly hoped for a longer extension of the trade truce, which was previously scheduled to expire on Nov. 10.

Wendy Cutler, a former US trade negotiator, said the shorter extension indicated that Washington remained concerned about China's implementation of commitments, particularly regarding critical mineral exports and purchases of US agricultural products.

Craig Singleton of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies said the limited extension would allow Washington to assess whether Beijing fulfills its outstanding commitments before agreeing to another extension.

Trump has yet to publicly comment on the extension. The two leaders are expected to hold more substantive discussions on Thursday following an official welcome ceremony at the White House and a military review.

They are also scheduled to attend a black-tie dinner featuring prominent business figures, including Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk.

Trump seeks to match China's welcome
Trump has signaled that he wants to provide Xi with a grand reception similar to the welcome Trump received during his visit to China earlier this year.

Xi did not personally greet Trump when he arrived in Beijing; Chinese Vice President Han Zheng received him instead. Trump was nevertheless welcomed with a red carpet, military honors, a band and hundreds of Chinese youths carrying US and Chinese flags.

Melania Trump said her husband chose to personally receive Xi because of their close relationship, adding that Xi and his wife deserved to be welcomed with “the most respect.”

The lengthy red carpet at Joint Base Andrews was reminiscent of the elaborate reception given to Russian President Vladimir Putin when he arrived at a US military base in Alaska last summer for talks on the war in Ukraine.

Xi and Peng are scheduled to return to the White House on Friday for a private tea with Trump and Melania before joining them on a visit to the National Archives, where they are expected to view historic documents highlighting US-China relations.