U.S. Media: Grand Pageantry for Trump's Visit a Move to Cater to Him
During U.S. President Trump's visit to Beijing, China staged an elaborately choreographed welcome ceremony with a red carpet, cannons, and 300 flag-waving children. U.S. media, citing scholars, noted that China is adept at using diplomatic protocol to send political signals, and the grand pageantry was intended to cater to Trump's preference for solemn ceremonies.
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- 📰 Published: May 14, 2026 at 14:56
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(CNA, Los Angeles, 13th, by reporter Lin Hong-han) During U.S. President Trump's visit to Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping welcomed him with a red carpet, a cannon salute, and 300 flag-waving children in a meticulously choreographed scene. U.S. media, citing scholars, pointed out that China is adept at using diplomatic protocol to convey political signals, and the grand pageantry was intended to cater to Trump's preference for solemn ceremonies.
Trump arrived in Beijing by plane yesterday and proceeded to the Great Hall of the People on the morning of the 14th, local time. Xi greeted him on a red carpet, and after a handshake, they stood side by side as a military band played the national anthems of both countries amid a cannon salute.
In the square, in addition to the neatly arranged PLA troops, about 300 children held flowers and U.S.-China flags, shouting welcomes. Footage showed the children lined up in place, only starting to wave their flags and jump up and down as Trump and Xi passed by, highlighting the tightly orchestrated nature of the welcome show.
The Associated Press analysis pointed out that China's diplomatic occasions are highly hierarchical, and etiquette and ceremony carry substantial political weight. Who comes out to greet, what music is played, and whether children are arranged to wave flowers and flags are all tools Beijing uses to send political signals.
Rush Doshi, a senior fellow for Asia studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, told the AP that China uses diplomatic protocol as a way to express favor or displeasure. Doshi, who previously served as the China director on the Biden administration's National Security Council, is well-versed in high-level U.S.-China interactions.
Former U.S. State Department official Danny Russel stated that governments worldwide know of Trump's fondness for flattery and grand occasions. China's arrangement of pageantry and ceremony was meant to please and placate Trump, making him more receptive to China's demands and reducing the risk of awkward public confrontations.
However, the AP noted that while this reception was grand, its scale did not match Trump's 2017 visit. At that time, Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan accompanied Trump and First Lady Melania on a tour of the Forbidden City for afternoon tea, watched a traditional opera, and attended a dinner banquet in the Forbidden City—a rare high-level treatment for a foreign leader.
In contrast, Trump's current visit is shorter, and the First Lady did not accompany him. Experts analyze that over the past nine years, U.S.-China relations have shifted from engagement to intense competition. The scaled-down courtesy this time reflects China's greater confidence in its own status and highlights the current reality of heightened tensions in trade and geopolitics.
The two leaders then entered the Great Hall of the People for talks. In his speech, Xi mentioned the current "profound changes unseen in a century" and questioned whether China and the U.S. could overcome the "Thucydides Trap" and jointly address global challenges, expressing his hope to "jointly steer and helm the great ship of China-U.S. relations" with Trump.
Trump responded that he "gets along very well" with Xi, stating it was "a great honor to be your friend, and the relationship between the U.S. and China will be better than ever before." He also specifically mentioned that top U.S. business leaders, including Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, were accompanying him. (Editor: Chen Hui-ping) 1150514
Trump arrived in Beijing by plane yesterday and proceeded to the Great Hall of the People on the morning of the 14th, local time. Xi greeted him on a red carpet, and after a handshake, they stood side by side as a military band played the national anthems of both countries amid a cannon salute.
In the square, in addition to the neatly arranged PLA troops, about 300 children held flowers and U.S.-China flags, shouting welcomes. Footage showed the children lined up in place, only starting to wave their flags and jump up and down as Trump and Xi passed by, highlighting the tightly orchestrated nature of the welcome show.
The Associated Press analysis pointed out that China's diplomatic occasions are highly hierarchical, and etiquette and ceremony carry substantial political weight. Who comes out to greet, what music is played, and whether children are arranged to wave flowers and flags are all tools Beijing uses to send political signals.
Rush Doshi, a senior fellow for Asia studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, told the AP that China uses diplomatic protocol as a way to express favor or displeasure. Doshi, who previously served as the China director on the Biden administration's National Security Council, is well-versed in high-level U.S.-China interactions.
Former U.S. State Department official Danny Russel stated that governments worldwide know of Trump's fondness for flattery and grand occasions. China's arrangement of pageantry and ceremony was meant to please and placate Trump, making him more receptive to China's demands and reducing the risk of awkward public confrontations.
However, the AP noted that while this reception was grand, its scale did not match Trump's 2017 visit. At that time, Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan accompanied Trump and First Lady Melania on a tour of the Forbidden City for afternoon tea, watched a traditional opera, and attended a dinner banquet in the Forbidden City—a rare high-level treatment for a foreign leader.
In contrast, Trump's current visit is shorter, and the First Lady did not accompany him. Experts analyze that over the past nine years, U.S.-China relations have shifted from engagement to intense competition. The scaled-down courtesy this time reflects China's greater confidence in its own status and highlights the current reality of heightened tensions in trade and geopolitics.
The two leaders then entered the Great Hall of the People for talks. In his speech, Xi mentioned the current "profound changes unseen in a century" and questioned whether China and the U.S. could overcome the "Thucydides Trap" and jointly address global challenges, expressing his hope to "jointly steer and helm the great ship of China-U.S. relations" with Trump.
Trump responded that he "gets along very well" with Xi, stating it was "a great honor to be your friend, and the relationship between the U.S. and China will be better than ever before." He also specifically mentioned that top U.S. business leaders, including Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, were accompanying him. (Editor: Chen Hui-ping) 1150514