Donald Trump did not receive the “big fat hug” from Xi Jinping that he had predicted ahead of his formal welcome ceremony in Beijing on Thursday (14 May). Kicking off the pomp-filled two-day summit, Trump was greeted by Xi on the red carpet at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People with the leaders shaking hands and smiling warmly. A brass band played the national anthems as the leaders walked past rows of military honour guards and children waving Chinese and US flags and flowers. Trump was also seen occasionally patting Xi on the back during the ceremony. Weeks earlier, Trump had suggested in a social media post that Xi would greet him with a “big, fat hug” upon his arrival in Beijing.