Crowds Sing ‘My Motherland’ Along the Route to Welcome President Xi Jinping

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Washington on September 23 for a three-day state visit to the United States at the invitation of U.S. President Donald Trump.

As Xi’s motorcade traveled from Joint Base Andrews to his hotel, Chinese Americans and Chinese students gathered along the route to welcome him. People waved Chinese and U.S. flags and expressed their greetings as the motorcade passed.

Video footage from the scene showed people in the welcoming crowd singing“My Motherland,”a well-known Chinese song that has remained familiar to generations of Chinese audiences. The singing, together with the waving national flags, created one of the most notable scenes surrounding Xi’s arrival in Washington.

Flags Waved Along the Road

Ahead of the motorcade’s arrival, Chinese Americans and Chinese students had gathered at designated areas along the route.

As Xi’s motorcade passed, people waved Chinese and U.S. flags, applauded and greeted the Chinese president.

In footage of the event, members of the crowd sang “My Motherland.” The song was originally written as the theme song for the 1956 Chinese filmBattle on Shangganling Mountainand has since become widely known in China.

The song’s appearance at the welcome scene added a distinctly Chinese cultural element to the reception.

Chinese Americans and Students Take Part

According to Xinhua, representatives of overseas Chinese and Chinese students gathered along the route from Joint Base Andrews and waved Chinese and U.S. flags to welcome Xi.

For members of the Chinese community living and studying in the United States, the event provided an opportunity to participate in a public welcome during the Chinese president’s state visit.

The crowd included Chinese Americans and students, with some participants holding both Chinese and American flags as they waited for the motorcade.

A High-Profile Welcome at the Airport

Xi’s arrival at Joint Base Andrews was also marked by a formal welcome ceremony.

Trump and First Lady Melania Trump personally greeted Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, at the airport. U.S. officials arranged a red-carpet ceremony featuring an honor guard, military band and the national anthems of China and the United States. A 21-gun salute and military flyover were also part of the arrival events.

The Associated Press reported that Trump’s decision to personally travel to Joint Base Andrews to greet Xi was an unusual feature of the arrival ceremony. The ceremony included a military honor guard, flags and a flyover involving B-1 bombers.

Xi’s Three-Day State Visit Begins

The welcome along the motorcade route came as Xi began a three-day state visit to Washington.

Following his arrival, Xi said in a written statement that he looked forward to having in-depth exchanges with Trump on major issues concerning China-U.S. relations and the international situation, as well as meeting with people from different sectors of American society.

From the formal airport ceremony to the public welcome along the route, the opening day of Xi’s visit featured a series of highly visible events.

Attention will now turn to the meetings and activities scheduled during the state visit, as the Chinese and U.S. sides engage on bilateral relations and other issues of mutual concern.