Chinese President Xi Jinping held a welcome ceremony for the visiting U.S. President Donald Trump at around 9 a.m. BJT (0100 GMT) Thursday at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

The two leaders will hold talks after the ceremony.

Earlier on Wednesday, President Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan invited President Trump and his wife Melania Trump to the Palace Museum, or the Forbidden City, in Beijing, as the U.S. president started his state visit to China.

Trump later tweeted that he had an unforgettable experience at the Forbidden City and expressed his appreciation to President Xi and Madame Peng.

In his tweet, Trump said he is looking forward to Thursday's meeting with Xi.