On May 14, the first day of US President Donald Trump's visit to China, the two leaders held talks and attended a state banquet at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. In his speech, President Xi Jinping stressed the importance of 'not letting this relationship fail'.
Speaking at the banquet, President Trump called President Xi a 'friend' and expressed hope that the two countries would have 'a great future together'. He also invited President Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan to visit the White House on September 24. For his part, President Xi said the world stands at a 'historical crossroads' and questioned whether the two countries could join hands to solve global challenges and bring stability to the world.
According to a statement from China's Foreign Ministry, the two leaders agreed to re-establish the framework of bilateral relations as 'constructive, strategic, and stable', guiding cooperation for the next three years and beyond. President Xi emphasized that the two countries should be partners, not rivals, and that 'the common interests between China and the US outweigh their differences'.
On trade, President Xi declared that China's 'door of opportunity' would open wider. This message was seen as meeting US expectations for China's commitment to purchase soybeans, beef, and aircraft. The two sides also discussed establishing a Trade Council to resolve trade disputes.
The Taiwan issue was also raised. President Xi warned that if this issue is not handled carefully, it could lead to conflict between Washington and Beijing. According to Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning, President Xi said that 'the Taiwan issue is the most important issue in US-China relations'. However, Taiwan was not mentioned in the joint statement, and President Trump ignored a reporter's question about his stance on the issue.
On the war in Iran, the joint statement said the two leaders agreed that the Strait of Hormuz must remain open and that Iran must never possess nuclear weapons. US media had earlier reported that Washington might need China's help in persuading Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz.
