Beyond the Rose Garden and the military review, Trump and Xi get down to business

After weeks of frustration, delays and posturing, Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump got down to business on Thursday, kicking off their high-stakes summit, Xi’s first on US soil since 2015.

The two started the morning with a formal arrival ceremony on the White House South Lawn and Rose Garden that included nearly 500 military personnel, the Chinese and American national anthems played by the US Marine Band and opening remarks from both leaders.

“I am ready to work with you to steer the giant ship of the China-US relationship on a steady course towards the future,” Xi said at a lectern in front of US and Chinese flags.

“We should strengthen communication. China and the United States are different in national conditions, but through candid, in-depth and continued dialogue, our two countries can understand each other better.”