US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday struck a warm and optimistic tone during their high-stakes meeting at the Great Hall of the People, with both leaders stressing cooperation over confrontation despite tensions over trade, technology and regional security.
Xi rolled out the red carpet and put up a ceremonial military guard of honour for his American counterpart. The meeting marked Trump’s first visit to China during his second stint of presidency and drew global attention as both countries attempted to reset ties between the world’s two largest economies.
Opening Remarks
Opening the talks, Trump praised the reception given to him and the US delegation, calling it "an honour like few have ever seen before." He also praised the Chinese military and said he was deeply impressed by the children who took part in the welcome ceremony. "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," Trump said.
Xi, in his opening remarks, said the entire world was closely watching the meeting and framed the talks as a defining moment for future global stability. "Welcome back to China after 9 years. The whole world is watching our meeting. Currently, a transformation not seen in a century is accelerating across the globe, and the international situation is fluid and turbulent. The world has come to a new crossroads. Can China and the United States overcome the Thucydides trap and create a new paradigm of major country relations?" Xi asked.
Call for Cooperation
Xi also called for stronger cooperation between Beijing and Washington and warned against rivalry. "Can we meet global challenges together and provide more stability for the world? Can we, in the interests of the well-being of our two peoples and the future of humanity, build a brighter future together for our bilateral relations? These are the questions vital to history, to the world, and to the people. They are the questions of our times that you and I need to answer as leaders of major countries," Xi said.
He added, "I always believe that our two countries have more common interests than differences. Success in one is an opportunity for the other. And a stable bilateral relationship is good for the world. China and the United States both stand to gain from cooperation and lose from confrontation. We should be partners, not rivals. We should help each other succeed and prosper together and find the right way for major countries to get along well with each other in the new era."
New Chapter in Relations
The Chinese president expressed hope that the talks would open a "new chapter" in bilateral relations. "Mr. President, I look forward to our discussions on major issues important to our two countries and the world, and working together with you to set the course for and steer the giant ship of China-US relations so as to make 2026 a historic landmark year that opens up a new chapter in China-US relations," Xi said.
Trump highlighted his long personal relationship with Xi and said the two leaders had always managed to resolve differences directly. "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. And that's, to me, an honour. 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. Whenever we had a problem, we worked it out very quickly and we're going to have a fantastic future together," Trump said.
Praise for Xi and Trade Hopes
Praising Xi’s leadership, Trump added, "Such respect for China, the job you've done. You're a great leader. I say it to everybody." Trump also pointed to the presence of top American business leaders in his delegation and said they were eager to expand trade ties 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.
Calling the summit potentially historic, Trump said, "There are those that say this is maybe the biggest summit ever. They can never remember anything like it." Concluding his remarks, Trump said, "It's an honour to be your friend and the relationship between China and the USA is going to be better than ever before."
Earlier, Trump was formally welcomed by Xi at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. The two leaders shared a warm handshake before Trump met members of Xi’s cabinet ahead of the closed-door discussions.
