China rolls out the red carpet, American flags, and military honor guard for Trump’s arrival in Beijing

The People’s Republic of China rolled out the literal red carpet for President Donald Trump‘s arrival in Beijing on Wednesday.

Air Force One landed at Beijing Capital International Airport just before 8 pm local time (8 am Eastern Standard Time) on Wednesday. According to the traveling press pool, Trump was greeted by Chinese Vice President Han Zheng, U.S. Ambassador to China David Perdue, Chinese Ambassador to the U.S. Xie Feng, and Chinese Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu.

After the president deplaned and received a formal greeting by the hosting leaders, he took a short stroll down a red carpet flanked by 300 Chinese youth, wearing coordinated white and light blue garb and waving American and Chinese flags. A military band and honor guard were also featured at the arrival ceremony.

A number of Trump Cabinet officials made the trip alongside the president, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, War Secretary Pete Hegseth, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr.

NVIDIA’S JENSEN HUANG JOINS TRUMP ON AIR FORCE ONE DURING ALASKA PIT STOP FOR CHINA TRIP

Elon Musk, a close ally of the president, was one of several American business executives traveling aboard Air Force One and was photographed on the tarmac along with the rest of Trump’s entourage, which also included the president’s son, Eric Trump, and daughter-in-law, Lara Trump.

Trump will return to the U.S. on Friday, but his itinerary features a packed schedule of closed-door meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and other public events typical of a state visit.

While Trump and Xi have sparred over the U.S.-China trade relationship since last January, this week’s visit will undoubtedly be colored by two security items: the war in Iran and China’s own aspirations for Taiwan.

Before departing the White House on Tuesday, Trump discounted rumors that he would ask for Xi’s assistance in ending the war. China remains one of Iran’s few allies on the global stage, though Beijing has largely avoided intervening in the conflict since it began in late February.

ALLIES SAY XI HAS NOT SHOT AT CONVINCING TRUMP TO CHANGE TAIWAN POLICY

As for Taiwan, the president told reporters that the island would be discussed, but that he expected Xi to focus on the issue much more than he would.

Trump allies told the Washington Examiner that, despite Trump’s “weakened position” based on the war in Iran, the president would not make a material change to American policy regarding Taiwan, either in the form of military assistance or trade.