Beijing, China. China’s Xi Jinping told U.S. President Donald Trump that trade talks were making progress at the start of a two-day summit on Thursday, while warning that disagreement over Taiwan could send relations down a dangerous path.
Summit opens in Beijing
Xi’s remarks came after a ceremonial reception at the Great Hall of the People, which Trump described as possibly the “biggest summit ever.”
The visit, the first by a U.S. president to China since Trump’s last trip in 2017, took on added significance with Trump’s approval ratings affected by his Iran war.
After an opening ceremony featuring an honour guard and children waving flowers and flags, Xi said stable relations between the world’s two biggest economies benefit the entire world.
“When we cooperate, both sides benefit; when we confront each other, both sides suffer,” Xi said in remarks open to media.
Trump responded by praising Xi, saying, “You’re a great leader, sometimes people don’t like me saying it, but I say it anyway,” and adding, “There are those who say this may be the biggest summit ever.”
Trade negotiations and objectives
Xi said negotiations between U.S. and Chinese economic and trade teams in South Korea on Wednesday had reached “overall balanced and positive outcomes,” according to a readout by China’s foreign ministry.
Officials with knowledge of the matter said the negotiations aimed to maintain the trade truce struck between Trump and Xi last October and establish mechanisms to support future trade and investment.
Taiwan raised as key issue
Xi also raised Taiwan, the democratically governed island claimed by China and armed by the United States.
According to the Chinese readout, Xi told Trump that Taiwan was the most important issue in U.S.-China relations and that if handled poorly it could lead to conflict and an extremely dangerous situation. The talks concluded after a little over two hours.
How do you think the trade negotiations could affect broader U.S.-China relations?
