Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday held a banquet at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing to welcome U.S. President Donald Trump on his state visit to China.
Addressing the banquet, Xi said the China-U.S. relationship is the most important bilateral relationship in the current world.
“We must make it work, and never mess it up,” Xi said, adding that both China and the United States stand to gain from cooperation and lose from confrontation.
“Our two countries should be partners rather than rivals,” he added.
Xi also said that the two sides agreed to build a constructive China-U.S. relationship of strategic stability to promote the steady, sound, and sustainable development of China-U.S. relations.
This development would bring more peace, prosperity and progress to the world.
“We have always found that this is the most important bilateral relationship in the world,” Xi said when making a toast to Trump.
The two countries should be partners rather than opponents, Xi said.
Trump said that the American and Chinese people had “much in common.”
“We value hard work. We value courage and achievement. We love our families, and we love our countries together,” he said.
Looking to the future, the U.S. president said: “We have the chance to draw these values to create a future of greater prosperity, cooperation, and happiness and peace for our children.”
The banquet brought Trump’s first day in Beijing to a close.
He is to hold further talks with Xi on Friday before departing for the U.S.
During the visit, Trump invited Xi to visit Washington on September 24.
The U.S. side had announced some time ago that a visit would take place, without setting a date.
