Trump gets spectacular state welcome from China’s Xi as goose-stepping guards greet president in Beijing

Donald Trump has been treated to the full red-carpet treatment by China’s president Xi Jinping, lavished with imperial pomp rarely afforded a US leader as goose-stepping honor guards, thundering cannon salutes and flower-waving schoolchildren greeted him in Beijing. 

The President’s motorcade swept into the Great Hall of the People in Tiananmen Square at 10.01am Thursday almost exactly on schedule, with Trump emerging moments later in his signature dark suit and red tie to a blaring military fanfare.  

He walked over to Xi, who was waiting by the steps, and the pair shook hands for a couple of seconds, with Trump warmly patting the Chinese leader’s hand as they exchanged brief words. 

Xi, accompanied by Trump, then worked the front row of the heavyweight US delegation lined up on the steps, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

The two leaders then mounted a red and gold dais as a military band struck up the Star Spangled Banner and troops in full ceremonial dress marched past.

A crowd of brightly dressed Chinese schoolchildren waved flowers and US and Chinese flags while chanting ‘welcome, welcome, welcome to China’. 

Thundering cannon salutes boomed across Tiananmen Square round after round as Trump stood beside Xi, before the President broke into a broad smile as he saluted the troops.

The pair finally swept into the Great Hall after around 20 minutes of pageantry, US cabinet secretaries, officials and American business executives filing in behind them. 

President Donald Trump participates in a welcome ceremony with China’s President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People, Thursday, May 14, 2026, in Beijing

President Donald Trump participates in a welcome ceremony with China’s President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People, Thursday, May 14

Chinese President Xi Jinping, left, stands with U.S. President Donald Trump during a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing

US President Donald Trump (L) takes part in a welcome ceremony with China’s President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on May 14

An honor guard stands at attention prior to a welcome ceremony for U.S. President Donald Trump at the Great Hall of the People on May 14

Chinese President Xi Jinping stands with US President Donald Trump 

Trump walks with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People

Members of the U.S. delegation including (front 2L-R) Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Ambassador to China David Perdue, and CEOs from various industries stand prior to a welcome ceremony for U.S. President Donald Trump at the Great Hall of the People on May 14

Trump salutes next to Chinese President Xi Jinping during a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People on May 14

Xi Jinping (L) greets US President Donald Trump (C) during a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People, in Beijing

Chinese President Xi Jinping greets U.S. President Donald Trump during a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People, in Beijing

A motorcade that is believed to be carrying U.S. President Donald Trump travels on Chang’an Avenue in Beijing

Trump participates in an welcome ceremony with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, May 14

Trump is traveling with a delegation that includes his son Eric and daughter-in-law Lara, and Silicon Valley bosses Elon Musk of Tesla and Nvidia’s Jensen Huang. 

It is Trump’s first meeting with Xi since the Iran war erupted on February 28.

Following Trump’s arrival at the Great Hall of the People, adjacent to Tiananmen Square, the two Presidents will buckle down for a roughly two hour bilateral meeting. 

The President is expected to press Xi to lean on Iran to accept a ceasefire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, while Xi is widely expected to push for tariff relief and access to American-designed AI chips.

The summit was originally slated for March but was postponed when the war broke out.

Leading the two largest economies globally, Trump and Xi have a lot to hammer out in their two days together.

On Wednesday, Trump called on Xi to ‘open up’ his economy further to US businesses; a large cohort of 17 US CEOs were invited to the White House to act as economic negotiators to iron out roadblocks preventing further investment.

The President arrived late Wednesday evening local time in the Chinese capital before heading to his hotel for rest.

Trump was greeted on the tarmac by a military band, roughly 300 students waving US and Chinese flags and the nation’s Vice President Han Zheng.