Xi Jinping rolls out red carpet for Trump's "state visit-plus"
President Xi Jinping has rolled out the red carpet for Donald Trump at Beijing's Forbidden City in what's being billed as the US president's "state visit-plus." Both men have commenced high-level bilateral talks. Trump is expected to renew his calls for China to step up the pressure and rein in North Korea's nuclear ambitions. The mounting US-China trade deficit is also expected to be discussed.
Trump first foreign leader to dine at Forbidden City
Trump is the first foreign leader to be honored with an official dinner inside Forbidden City, the ancient home of China's emperors, since the founding of the People's Republic of China. Xi also personally gave Trump a tour of the UNESCO World Heritage Site's treasures.
How China welcomed Trump
Trump and his wife Melania were greeted with a more elaborate than usual ceremonial welcome when they landed at Beijing airport. Besides a red carpet, a military band and smartly dressed children waving Chinese and American flags met them. Later, Trump and Melania, and Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan, watched Chinese opera and an acrobatic display at the Forbidden City.
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Trump's granddaughter recites Chinese poetry, Xi impressed
While chatting over tea, Trump showed Xi a video of Arabella Kushner, his six-year-old granddaughter, reciting classical Chinese poetry and singing in Mandarin. An impressed Xi said Arabella's performance is worthy of an A+ and hoped she would visit China soon.
