Beijing, May 14, 2026: U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in Beijing on Wednesday for a high-profile state visit, where he is scheduled to hold talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping. In keeping with Chinese diplomatic protocol, Trump was welcomed at the airport by Chinese Vice President Han Zheng rather than Xi himself.
Under China’s long-established state protocol, the president does not typically travel to the airport to personally greet visiting foreign leaders. That responsibility is usually delegated to a senior government official, with the rank determined by the importance of the visiting country and the significance of the bilateral relationship.
Given the strategic importance of U.S.-China relations, Beijing traditionally assigns the vice president to receive American presidents. During President Barack Obama’s first visit to China in 2009, then Vice President Xi Jinping welcomed him. In 2017, Trump was received by then Vice President Li Yuanchao.
The same protocol has been followed in 2026, with Han Zheng leading the welcoming ceremony for Trump’s second official visit to China. The arrangement underscores the formal and symbolic weight China attaches to relations with the United States, while adhering to established diplomatic customs.
China follows different reception practices for other world leaders. Russian President Vladimir Putin has often been greeted by senior officials such as Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Visits by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un are treated uniquely, often reflecting party-to-party ties, with top Communist Party leaders such as Wang Huning and Cai Qi receiving him
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