President Trump Welcomes Chinese President Xi Jinping to Washington

Why it matters locally: Given Hawaii's strategic location in the Pacific and its strong economic ties to Asia, high-level diplomatic engagements between the U.S. and China, like this state visit, can significantly influence regional trade, tourism, and geopolitical stability, all of which are important to the islands.

President Donald Trump greeted Chinese President Xi Jinping at Joint Base Andrews, located outside Washington. The reception occurred as President Xi began his state visit to the United States. This marks President Xi's first state visit in over a decade. The White House traditionally hosts visiting heads of state at the executive residence. President Trump instead met President Xi directly at the airbase.