U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in Beijing on Wednesday 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 at the airport, as well as by Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu and Chinese Ambassador to the United States Xie Feng.

After greeting the officials, Trump was given a guard of honor by members of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) as a military band played, while a group of Chinese youth performers also waved the flags of both nations to welcome the U.S. president.

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

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.