“It could be the most important summit in history”: The first information from the Xi – Trump meeting
Chinese leader Xi Jinping told US President Donald Trump at the start of a two-day summit that began on Thursday that trade talks were making progress, but warned that disagreements over Taiwan could take China-US relations down a dangerous path.
The Chinese leader's remarks set the stage for what Trump said would likely be “the biggest summit in history” after a lavish reception at Beijing's imposing Palace of the People.
With Trump's popularity dented by the war with Iran, the first visit by a US president to the United States' main strategic rival since 2017 has taken on added significance.
“When we are in conflict, both sides have something to lose”
After an opening ceremony that featured an honor guard and crowds of children enthusiastically waving flowers and flags, Xi opened the summit by telling Trump that stable relations between the world's two largest economies benefit the entire world.
“When we cooperate, both sides gain; when we are in conflict, both sides lose,” he said in a brief statement to the media.
“You're a great leader, sometimes people don't like me to say it, but I say it anyway,” Trump replied.
“There are some who say this could be the most important summit in history,” he added.
Xi said the talks between the US and China economic and trade teams, held in South Korea on Wednesday, had reached “generally balanced and positive results”, according to a statement from China's Foreign Ministry.
The talks were aimed at maintaining the trade truce struck between Trump and Xi last October and establishing mechanisms to support future trade and investment, officials familiar with the matter said.
Xi: Taiwan is the most important issue
Xi also broached the subject of Taiwan, the democratically-ruled island claimed by China and aided with arms by the United States.
The Chinese leader told Trump that Taiwan is the most important issue in US-China relations and that if it is mishandled, it could lead to conflict and an extremely dangerous situation, according to a Chinese statement on the talks, which ended after just over two hours.
Trump did not respond when a reporter later shouted a question at him about whether they discussed Taiwan as he posed for photos with Xi at the Temple of Heaven, a UNESCO World Heritage site where emperors once prayed for good harvests.
The leaders also agreed to expand cooperation in trade and agriculture and exchanged views on the situations in the Middle East, Ukraine and the Korean Peninsula, according to public broadcaster CCTV.
Trump and Xi will later attend a state banquet before having tea and lunch together on Friday.
