US President Donald Trump welcomes President Xi Jinping at White House

US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump today receive visiting Chinese leader Xi Jinping and his wife, Peng Liyuan, on the White House's South Lawn.

Xi says he stands ready to work with the US side to steer the great ship of their bilateral relations towards a steady future and urges candid, in-depth and continued dialogue.

In a display of pageantry, the welcome ceremony features presence of hundreds of US military personnel across all service branches, a review of honour guards, and rendition of both national anthems by the Marine Band.

Trump says in his remarks that Xi is the first Chinese president that have visited the United States twice and that the occasion marks his inaugural visit to the White House.

He says the US and China have made various efforts and established a trade council, to achieve a more balanced trade relationship, adding the ensuing talks will focus on security, technology and super intelligence - his name for artificial intelligence.

As Trump puts it, the decisions that they forge today will lay the cornerstone for decades of peace and prosperity.

The Republican president ends his speech by mentioning the US Marines' adoption of the Chinese phrase "gung-ho" as a reference to working together with Beijing.

Xi says he is glad to pay a state visit to the "beautiful" country, and congratulates the American people on the 250th anniversary of US independence.

He contends China and the US are both great nations and have demonstrated their historic responsibility of advancing human development and progress, as he stresses their competition should be kept within bounds. Xi notes, "Cooperation benefits both, while confrontation serves neither."

In addition, he has prompted strengthening AI regulation and more direct flights to facilitate two-way exchanges, alongside promoting regular dialogue between the two militaries.