Beijing: Chinese President Xi Jinping said China and the United States should be “partners and not rivals” as he opened talks with US President Donald Trump in Beijing on Thursday.
“A stable China-US relationship is a boon for the world. Cooperation benefits both sides, while confrontation harms both,” Xi said during a meeting at the Great Hall of the People.
Trump responded warmly, telling Xi that the two countries would have a “fantastic future together.”
“It’s an honour to be with you. It’s an honour to be your friend, and the relationship between China and the USA is going to be better than ever before,” Trump said.
The two leaders are holding talks on trade, Taiwan, artificial intelligence and the war with Iran.
Xi, however, stressed that the Taiwan question remained the most important issue in China-US relations.
If it is handled properly, the bilateral relationship “will enjoy overall stability”, Xi said. Otherwise, the two countries could face “clashes and even conflicts”, putting bilateral ties in great jeopardy, the leader was quoted as saying by the state-run Xinhua news agency.
The Chinese president urged the US to exercise extra caution in handling the Taiwan issue.
Trump arrived in Beijing on Wednesday for the first visit by a US president to China in nearly a decade. He was accompanied by a delegation of business leaders, including Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
Trade is expected to be a central focus of the summit, with both sides considering whether to extend a tariff truce reached last year after months of retaliatory duties.
Taiwan is also high on the agenda. Trump has said he plans to discuss U.S. arms sales to the self-governing island, which China claims as its own territory.
The war with Iran is another key issue. While Trump has said he does not need China’s help to end the conflict, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington hopes Beijing will play a more active role in persuading Tehran to change its course in the Persian Gulf.
