WASHINGTON, D.C. | Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Washington on Wednesday for a three-day state visit, receiving an unusually high-profile welcome from U.S. President Donald Trump as the two countries seek to manage tensions over trade, technology, Taiwan and other global issues.
Trump was scheduled to meet Xi at Joint Base Andrews, personally greeting the Chinese leader and his wife, Peng Liyuan, on the tarmac. The White House said Xi and Peng will be formally welcomed at the White House on Thursday, with a state arrival ceremony involving 479 military personnel, followed by a state dinner hosted by Trump and First Lady Melania Trump.
The summit comes as Washington and Beijing attempt to stabilize relations following years of disputes over tariffs, technology restrictions and strategic competition. Reuters reported that the leaders are also expected to discuss Iran, artificial intelligence and the future of a trade truce between the two countries.
Taiwan is closely watching the meeting, particularly the question of U.S. arms sales. Reuters reported that Xi is expected to press Trump to stop weapons sales to Taiwan, citing the 1982 U.S.-China joint communiqué. China has consistently opposed U.S. arms transfers to the island, which Beijing considers part of its territory.
The issue has become more immediate after Trump delayed a proposed $14 billion U.S. arms package for Taiwan. Reuters reported that the package has been held since Trump’s May meeting with Xi, while Taiwan has continued to receive and use U.S.-supplied defense equipment.
Taiwan conducted military exercises involving attack drones and conventional weapons days before the summit. The Associated Press reported that the drills included anti-air, anti-ship and anti-landing missiles and represented Taiwan’s first joint combat exercises combining attack drones with conventional systems.
The dispute over arms sales has a long history. The United States and China addressed the issue in their August 1982 joint communiqué, in which Washington said it intended to gradually reduce arms sales to Taiwan. However, a contemporaneous U.S. presidential interpretation stated that any reduction was linked to China’s continued commitment to a peaceful resolution of cross-Strait differences.
U.S. policy toward Taiwan is also governed by the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979, which provides for the United States to make available defense articles and services necessary for Taiwan to maintain sufficient self-defense capability.
Taiwan’s government maintains that the island’s future should be determined by its people, while Beijing continues to claim sovereignty over Taiwan. The competing positions have made Taiwan one of the most sensitive issues in U.S.-China relations and a central concern as Xi and Trump begin their latest summit.
Edgardo Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
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