US President Donald Trump on Thursday held high-level talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, describing the bilateral engagement as historic and expressing confidence that ties between the two countries would improve further despite ongoing tensions over trade, technology and regional security.
Trump, who was formally welcomed at the Great Hall of the People, praised Xi’s leadership and stressed the long-standing rapport between the two leaders as they opened discussions closely watched across the world.
“Well, President Xi, I want to thank you very much. First of all, that was an honour like few have ever seen before,” Trump said at the start of the meeting, referring to the ceremonial reception accorded to him and the US delegation.
“I think I was particularly impressed by those children. They were happy. They were beautiful. The military is obvious. It couldn't be better. But those children were amazing, and they represent so much,” he added.
Talking about the personal channel of communication between the two leaders, Trump said past differences had been resolved through direct engagement.
“You and I have known each other now for a long time. In fact, the longest relationship of our two countries that any president and president has had,” he said.
“We've had a fantastic relationship. We've gotten along. When there were difficulties, we worked it out. I would call you, and you would call me, and whenever we had a problem, people don't know, whenever we had a problem, we worked it out very quickly,” he added.
Trump also praised Xi’s stewardship of China, saying, “Such respect for China, the job you've done. You're a great leader. I say it to everybody.”
Referring to the American business leaders accompanying him, Trump said they were keen to deepen economic engagement with China.
“We have the greatest businessmen, the biggest and I guess the best in the world. We have amazing people and they're all with me,” he said.
Trump also said that the meeting had generated intense attention in the United States. “There are those that say this is maybe the biggest summit ever. They can never remember anything like it,” he said.
Trump also expressed optimism about the future of ties between Washington and Beijing, telling Xi that cooperation between the two powers would deepen further.
“It's an honor to be with you. It's an honor to be your friend, and the relationship between China and the USA is going to be better than ever before,” Trump said at the meeting in the Great Hall of the People, adding that the two nations were going to “have a fantastic future together”.
The meeting comes amid continuing strains between Washington and Beijing over tariffs, technology restrictions, Taiwan and competing strategic interests in the Indo-Pacific region.
However, both sides projected warmth at the opening ceremony, with Trump and Xi sharing a prolonged handshake before the US President was introduced to senior Chinese officials.
(With inputs from ANI)