Donald Trump says his relationship with Xi Jinping is "a truly great friendship" at Xi's state visit

President Xi Jinping began his first state visit to the United States in 11 years, arriving Wednesday at Joint Base Andrews outside Washington, where President Trump and Melania Trump greeted him and Peng Liyuan in an airport reception that U.S. media called unusual. At a Thursday welcoming event at the White House, Xi urged dialogue, cooperation, and avoidance of conflict, referenced a prior agreement on a stable bilateral relationship, invited 100,000 young Americans to China over five years, and said two pandas would go to Zoo Atlanta. Trump, speaking at the ceremony, described his relationship with Xi in favorable terms and traced it to his 2016 election. Experts said the meeting itself signaled both sides wanted a steadier relationship, with near-term discussions expected to center on narrow agreements covering trade, rare-earth exports, and agricultural trade.