President Xi Jinping arrived in San Francisco on Tuesday for a high-stakes meeting with his American counterpart Joe Biden, as the Chinese leader’s first trip to the US in six years drew crowds of protesters and supporters.

Xi was greeted at about 3 p.m. local time by officials including Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and California Governor Gavin Newsom — two of several top US officials who smoothed the path for his visit. The Chinese leader is traveling with his chief of staff Cai Qi and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, according to the official Xinhua News Agency.