(SRN NEWS) President Trump calls the first meeting of his summit with Chinese president Xi “extremely positive and productive.” Xi stresses the need for U-S China cooperation. Following their two-hour meeting, the presidents attended a state banquet. And Mr Trump has invited his Chinese counterpart to visit the White House in September. At the same […]
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President Trump invites Chinese President Xi Jinping for a Sept. 24 visit at the White House (AUDIO)
(SRN NEWS) President Trump calls the first meeting of his summit with Chinese president Xi “extremely positive and productive.” Xi stresses the need for U-S China cooperation.
Following their two-hour meeting, the presidents attended a state banquet. And Mr Trump has invited his Chinese counterpart to visit the White House in September.
At the same time, though, the Chinese leader warns of potential conflict: China’s Xi Jinping has warned President Trump that their two countries could clash over Taiwan if the issue is not handled properly. That was an unusually harsh admonition that stood in contrast to the American leader’s praise for his counterpart. The exchange Thursday at the highly anticipated summit in Beijing underscored possible distance between Mr. Trump and Xi on thorny issues, including the war in Iran, trade disputes and Washington’s relations with Taiwan. Taiwan is a self-ruled that China claims as part of its territory.
The exchange also suggested that Mr. Trump’s three-day visit to China is likely to be longer on pageantry and symbolism than substantive political or economic breakthroughs.
A big part of the summit focuses on economics: China seeks a loosening of trade restrictions; the U-S hoping for trade deals.
After their meeting, Xi took President Trump on a tour of the Temple of Heaven, then hosted a state banquet for him. The Chinese leader used his evening toast to note that he and Mr. Trump had kept U.S.-China relations “generally stable” in a turbulent world.
“Achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and making America great again can go hand in hand,” Xi said, referring to Mr. Trump’s political movement. “We can help each other succeed and advance the well-being of the whole world.”
In his toast, President Trump again called Xi “my friend” and said his visit had been “a great honor” punctuated by a “fantastic” day. He said matters “all good for the United States and China” were discussed Thursday.
Trump also announced that Xi would make a reciprocal visit to the White House on Sept. 24 — a date not previously announced.
The positive tone also was reflected in the White House assessment of the earlier meetings, which said both leaders had touched on ways to enhance economic cooperation, including expanding market access for American businesses in China and increasing Chinese investment into U.S. industries.
The White House readout didn’t mention Taiwan directly, but, in relation to Iran, said both sides had agreed that the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial waterway for oil and natural gas, must remain open. The strait’s closure has stranded tankers and caused energy prices to spike, threatening global economic growth.