Trump welcome and tariff truce extension open Xi visit on conciliatory note

China and the United States have begun Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit with signs of a more conciliatory approach, according to analysts cited by the South China Morning Post. The two countries agreed to extend a tariff truce that had been due to expire in November. The extension will remain in place for two months, through January 10.

US President Donald Trump also gave Xi a personal welcome on the tarmac. Analysts said the reception, alongside the tariff arrangement, indicated that the two governments were prepared to keep negotiating despite tensions between them. The South China Morning Post described the developments as a positive opening to the visit.

The tariff extension was presented as evidence that the world’s two largest economies were willing to seek broader agreements and maintain momentum in their discussions. The source also said the relationship remained marked by an increasingly heightened rivalry. It did not provide details of the broader agreements under consideration or specify what further measures might follow the temporary extension.

For now, the arrangement creates additional time for talks between Beijing and Washington. The two-month period is the stated duration of the truce extension, with January 10 identified as its endpoint. Analysts’ assessment, as reported by the newspaper, is that the welcome and agreement offer a positive start while leaving the wider rivalry unresolved.