Donald Trump intends to personally meet Xi Jinping at Andrews Air Force Base

US President Donald Trump is set to personally greet Chinese President Xi Jinping at Andrews Air Force Base, breaking with years of diplomatic protocol. The Financial Times reports this.

It is noted that such a step represents a significant violation of the protocol that has been observed over the past six decades.

According to the publication, this precedent will be the first time since 1962 that a sitting head of the American administration will personally meet a foreign leader on the runway of this base. Then President John Kennedy received British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan in this way.

Journalists regard this gesture as a demonstration of special respect for the distinguished guest on the part of the American administration. At the same time, the practice of meetings directly on the airfield has already been used by Donald Trump before: in August 2025, he personally greeted Russian President Vladimir Putin in Anchorage.

The official state visit of the Chinese President to the United States is scheduled for the period from September 23 to 25. The event marks the first such trip by a Chinese leader to the United States in 11 years.