U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in Beijing earlier today (May 13) evening to begin a three-day state visit to China at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Trump was greeted by Chinese Vice President Han Zheng after disembarking his plane at the airport to begin the visit.

It marks the first trip to China by a U.S. president in nine years, and the first in-person meeting between President Xi and President Trump since they met in Busan of the Republic of Korea (ROK) last October.

During the visit, Xi will have an in-depth exchange of views with Trump on major issues concerning China-U.S. relations and world peace and development, according to the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said earlier on Wednesday that head-of-state diplomacy plays an irreplaceable role in providing strategic guidance for China-U.S. relations, while China welcomes President Trump’s state visit to China.

China stands ready to work with the U.S. to expand cooperation and manage differences in the spirit of equality, respect and mutual benefit, and provide more stability and certainty for a transforming and volatile world, Guo added.