First lady Melania Trump says Xi state visit will include flyovers, visit to National Archives
by Tom Howell Jr. · The Washington TimesThe White House will pull out all the stops for Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife during their state visit, with military fanfare, flyovers and a visit to the National Archives, first lady Melania Trump said Monday.
Mrs. Trump confirmed that President Trump will greet Mr. Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, at Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday before the pomp begins early Thursday with a grand welcome spanning the South Lawn, State Floor and Rose Garden of the White House.
The welcome ceremony will feature 479 personnel from all branches of the U.S. military.
The South Drive will be lined with the Armed Forces Full Honor Cordon, and the Chinese first couple will be greeted with a fanfare from the United States Army Herald Trumpets on the South Portico.
The fanfare kicks off a ceremony that will include national anthems by the United States Marine Band, remarks from both leaders and a flyover by a B-2 Spirit and four F-22 Raptors.
After the ceremony, Mrs. Trump and Mrs. Peng will visit the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art “to explore works spanning centuries of artistic achievement and Sino-American cultural exchange,” Mrs. Trump’s office said.
Mrs. Peng is a singer by trade and has been first lady of China since 2012.
The Trumps are hosting the Chinese first couple at a critical juncture for U.S.-Chinese relations.
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The administration has taken a hard line on Beijing through tariffs and struck deals to keep critical minerals flowing from China. Semiconductors that power the artificial intelligence race are a delicate issue, as both superpowers battle for supremacy, and U.S. policy toward Taiwan, which China considers a breakaway province, is another tenuous topic.
At the same time, Mr. Trump says he enjoys a terrific relationship with Mr. Xi personally, allowing them to work through issues.
“This visit comes more than a decade since President Xi and Madame Peng’s last visit to the White House, marking a significant milestone in the relationship between the two countries,” Mrs. Trump’s office said.
On Thursday, the Trumps will greet the Chinese first couple at the North Portico for a state dinner in the East Room.
Both couples will enjoy tea in the Red Room of the White House on Friday before traveling to the National Archives in the heart of Washington to view “a variety of important records and documents significant to the American and Chinese relationship throughout history,” Mrs. Trump’s office said.
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The Trumps will bid farewell to the Chinese first couple from the archives, capping the three-day visit.
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Tom Howell Jr.
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