Salute to China? Protocol-perfect Trump delights social media as he arrives to meet Xi

Handshakes, taps on the arm, and frequent asides marked the much-awaited meeting between Xi-jinping" class="entity-link entity-person" data-entity-id="1188" data-entity-type="person">Xi Jinping and Trump" class="entity-link entity-person" data-entity-id="5" data-entity-type="person">Donald Trump on Thursday morning, as the two presidents projected a close rapport during the first full day of Trump’s visit to China.Attention was focused not only on the substance of the high-stakes talks, but also on the personal dynamics between the US and Chinese heads of state – a relationship widely seen as a barometer of the broader diplomatic mood as the world’s two largest economies seek to manage tensions and strengthen strategic stability.Weeks ahead of his trip, Trump raised expectations of the bonhomie he and Xi would project to the world in Beijing, predicting on social media that Xi would “give me a big, fat hug when I get there”.