China leader-in-waiting Xi Jinping starts US tour

Feb 14, 2012 |

Washington

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China's likely next leader Xi Jinping arrived on Monday in the United States at the start of a week-long tour aimed at building smoother future relations between the Pacific powers.

Xi, who is China's vice president and on course to be president through 2023, landed at Andrews Air Force Base near Washington where he was greeted by senior US officials, an official at the base said.

Xi will meet on Tuesday with President Barack Obama and other top leaders including Vice President Joe Biden, who went to China last year to get to know his counterpart and is the officially host for the trip.

In what analysts describe as China's ‘smile diplomacy’ or seeking friendly audiences, Xi will also visit Iowa, where he paid a first visit to the United States in 1985 when he was a low-ranking local official, and Los Angeles.

The trip comes amid increasing tensions between the United States and China on a number of fronts including US charges of unfair trade practices and Beijing's concern about Obama's growing focus on military strength in Asia.

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