China's Heir Apparent Arrives in Washington

(Wall Street Journal) - WASHINGTON -- Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping arrived in Washington Monday afternoon at the start of a four-day US visit that will take him from the White House to the Midwest and California as he prepares to become China's leader later this year.

Xi arrived Monday afternoon at Andrews Air Force Base, in Maryland. A base spokesman confirmed his arrival at 3:00pm local time.

He was scheduled to hold meetings Monday before beginning the official portion of his visit Tuesday. He is scheduled to meet with President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and other top administration officials.

On Wednesday, Xi will address a business audience in Washington before leaving to visit Iowa and Los Angeles on Thursday and Friday.

Later this year, Xi is expected to become leader of China's Communist Party, effectively the country's leader. He is then expected to replace Hu Jintao as China's president in 2013.

Earlier Monday, China said its rapid development posed an opportunity, not a threat, to the US at the outset of the critical visit.

At a daily press briefing Monday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin said China and the US should "calmly and objectively" evaluate each other's strategic intentions in order to enhance trust between the countries.

Relations between the world's two largest economies have been strained in recent months, in particular after Washington announced late last year it would refocus US military attention on the Asian-Pacific region. The US has subsequently strengthened military and strategic ties with some of China's rivals in the region.

Xi will also travel to Ireland and Turkey. His messages on Europe's debt crisis, the Arab Spring, Iran and other issues will be closely watched for indications of what he could deliver as president.

Last year during a trip by Vice President Biden to China, Xi took a somewhat unusual step for an heir apparent, and met Biden several times, which US officials have said helped the leaders establish a personal rapport.

Nonetheless, Xi will likely come under pressure from lawmakers over Beijing's close ties to Iran as well as its lukewarm response to continued uprisings across the Arab world.

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