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Chinese President in Washington for first US state visit
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China's Xi arrives in Washington for first US state visit

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Washington, USA, on Thursday (September 24) for his first ever state visit. Vice President Joe Biden greeted Xi and his wife as they landed at Andrews Air Force Base on the second leg of a week long trip that began in Seattle.

President of the People's Republic of China, Xi Jinping

Xi arrived soon after Pope Francis flew out of the U.S. capital following a visit that drew adoring crowds wherever he went.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry speaks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, 10 July 2014

The White House quickly switched Chinese flags for the Vatican banners flying in front of the presidential mansion and prepared to roll out the red carpet for Xi, but the leader of the world's second-biggest economy can expect only a fraction of the wall-to-wall U.S. news coverage for the popular pontiff.

The Chinese flag

U.S. cable-television networks were busy showing the pope's arrival live in New York instead of broadcasting Xi's welcoming ceremony, where he stood shoulder to shoulder with Biden as a band played the two countries' national anthems.

Embassy of China in Washington, USA

Xi will be treated to full honours on Friday, including a 21-gun salute, a formal summit, a joint news conference and a black-tie state dinner. However, talks with President Barack Obama are expected to be clouded by differences over alleged Chinese cyber spying, Beijing's economic policies and territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

Peng Liyuan (lady on the left in brown suit), wife of Chinese President, in Mexico

U.S. first lady Michelle Obama will take Xi's wife Peng Liyuan to the National Zoo on Friday for a look at the giant pandas, possibly including a cub born last month.

(All images - credit: Wikimedia Commons under Creative Commons licence)

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