Trump Supporters Criticize Him for Welcoming Xi Jinping with Full Ceremony

Mekong, September 24 Supporters of US President Donald Trump have criticized him for welcoming Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife, Madame Peng, with a full state ceremony, including a 100-meter red carpet and flyovers by military bands and B-1 bombers, upon their arrival at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland on September 23. While US presidents typically host world leaders at the White House, Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump descended to Andrews Air Force Base, where Air Force One is parked, to greet Xi Jinping. This marked the first time in 11 years that a US president had personally greeted a world leader at the airport, drawing criticism even from some Republican politicians. In 2012, then-US President Barack Obama welcomed Xi Jinping with a full state ceremony, including a military band and artillery fire. At the time, Donald Trump, who was still widely known for his television appearances, had tweeted on social media platform Twitter (now X) that it was a "very wrong action." However, criticism escalated when Donald Trump greeted Xi Jinping with a full state ceremony, mirroring the welcome Xi had given him during his visit to Beijing in May. "If the White House had called me and asked for advice, I would have advised them not to bring Xi Jinping to Washington and welcome him with such a grand ceremony. During all negotiations, the Commander-in-Chief of the United States (referring to the President) must always remember one thing: that his guest is a ruthless, unelected, and oppressive dictator. He is someone who seeks to dominate his neighboring countries, and his massive military buildup is directly aimed at the United States of America," said Republican Senator Roger Wicker from Mississippi, who was once a strong supporter of Trump, in a speech on the Senate floor. During his three-day visit to Washington, Xi Jinping and Donald Trump are scheduled to discuss AI, Russia, Iran, and nuclear issues. As a first step, they agreed to extend the tense bilateral trade tariff agreement until January 10. Previously, Trump announced he would impose high tariffs on Chinese goods, and China retaliated by threatening to ban the export of rare earth minerals, which it controls. Eventually, tensions were eased, and a trade agreement was signed until November 10. As the deadline for that agreement approached, it was extended until January 10, maintaining the previously agreed-upon status quo. Xi Jinping also issued a statement through state media upon his arrival in the US, stating that the US and China should be partners, not rivals. This visit marks Xi Jinping's first trip to the US since 2015. Koklin Ref:metro #MeKongNews #XiJinping #Supporters #Trump #Criticism