dexinwin WASHINGTON, Sept. 24— A striking scene unfolded on the streets of Washington on September 23 as Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in the U.S. capital for a state visit. Along the route from Joint Base Andrews to his hotel, overseas Chinese and Chinese students gathered on both sides of the road, waving Chinese and American flags to welcome him.
Images from the scene showed the Chinese national flag prominently displayed among the crowd, creating what some observers described as a “sea of red” along the Washington streets. Reuters also published photographs showing people near the Waldorf Astoria waving Chinese and U.S. flags on the day of Xi’s arrival.
Chinese Flags Along the Washington Route
Xi arrived in Washington on the afternoon of September 23 at the invitation of U.S. President Donald Trump for a state visit.
According to Xinhua, as Xi's motorcade traveled from the airport to his hotel, representatives of overseas Chinese and Chinese students gathered along the roadside, waving Chinese and American flags and welcoming Xi's arrival.
The scene provided a distinctly different setting from the formal diplomatic ceremonies taking place inside government buildings. Instead of officials and military honor guards, the roadside crowds were made up largely of people living, studying and working in the United States.
For many of them, holding the Chinese national flag offered a simple and visible way to express their welcome for the visiting Chinese president.
Trump Personally Welcomes Xi at the Airport
The roadside welcome came shortly after a highly formal arrival ceremony at Joint Base Andrews.
Trump and First Lady Melania Trump personally greeted Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, after their arrival. The ceremony included a red carpet, an honor guard, the national anthems of China and the United States, a 21-gun salute and a military flyover.
Trump described the visit as an important occasion and said he looked forward to discussions with Xi on issues affecting the two countries.
Xi, in written remarks issued after his arrival, said that China and the United States are both major countries and that the two peoples have maintained longstanding exchanges. He expressed hope for broader contacts with different sectors of American society.
Chinese and American Flags Appeared Together
One notable detail in the Washington street scenes was that the Chinese flag was not displayed alone.
Photographs from Reuters showed people waving both Chinese and American flags near the Waldorf Astoria.
The combination reflected the setting of the event: a Chinese state visit taking place in the U.S. capital, with the Chinese and American communities sharing the same public space.
The images quickly attracted attention because of their strong visual contrast. Bright red Chinese flags stood out against the streets and buildings of Washington, while American flags were also visible throughout the crowd.
From the Airport to the White House
Xi's arrival was followed the next day by a formal welcome ceremony at the White House.
Trump hosted Xi on September 24, with the two leaders participating in an official ceremony before holding talks. Their meetings come as Washington and Beijing continue discussions on trade, technology, artificial intelligence, critical minerals and other issues affecting bilateral relations.
The visit is also significant because it represents the second meeting between Trump and Xi in 2026, with the two leaders having met in China earlier in the year. Reuters described the reciprocal visits within a six-month period as an important development in the relationship.
A Different Side of the Summit
High-level meetings typically focus on government officials, diplomatic negotiations and policy issues. But the scenes on Washington's streets offered another perspective on the visit.
The overseas Chinese and student representatives who gathered along the motorcade route were not participants in the formal negotiations. Their presence instead reflected the role of people-to-people contact surrounding major diplomatic events.
The flags, crowds and cheers also became part of the visual record of Xi's Washington visit.
For those watching from afar, the sight of Chinese and American flags being waved side by side offered a vivid snapshot of the atmosphere surrounding the visit.
A Moment Beyond Formal Diplomacy
Xi's visit to Washington includes high-level talks between the two governments, but the images from the streets show that major diplomatic events can also create moments of public interaction.
From Trump's airport welcome to the formal White House ceremony, and from the diplomatic meetings to the roadside crowds, Xi's visit has generated a series of scenes that extend beyond the negotiating table.
Among them, the sight of Chinese flags waving along Washington's streets stands out as one of the most visually distinctive moments of the visit — a reminder that behind formal China-U.S. relations are also millions of people living, studying, working and maintaining personal connections across the Pacific.
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