President Donald Trump arrived in Beijing on Wednesday without a personal airport welcome from Chinese President Xi Jinping, as closely watched diplomatic optics once again drew global attention today.
Instead of Xi, Trump was received by Chinese Vice President Han Zheng, along with senior foreign affairs officials and the US and Chinese ambassadors. It looks like a carefully calibrated protocol decision rather than a diplomatic slip..
Xi also did not personally greet Trump during his 2017 visit, the last time a sitting US president travelled to China.
Regardless, the level of representation this time is reportedly higher, with Vice President Han leading the reception alongside other senior members of the Chinese communist party.
China’s protocol choices are rarely accidental, with the ranking of officials used to communicate subtle signals about the weight of bilateral relations.
While the absence of Xi may appear symbolic, the reception structure indicates that Beijing views the visit as carrying some level of importance.
Trump arrived aboard Air Force One accompanied by a prominent delegation that included Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang.
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