US President Donald Trump has described his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping as “great” following talks between the two leaders at the White House on Thursday.
Trump made the comment after roughly 90 minutes of discussions with Xi. As the two leaders walked toward the White House's new helipad, Trump told reporters, “We had a great meeting.”
The meeting formed part of Xi's three-day state visit to the United States and marked the Chinese president's first visit to the White House in more than a decade. The two leaders have met several times previously, including during Trump's first presidency.
Before their formal talks, Trump praised his relationship with Xi, describing it as a “truly great friendship” built since Trump's first election in 2016. He also said the two countries had made progress on issues including trade and market access.
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Xi used the meeting to call for greater communication and cooperation between Washington and Beijing. He said the two countries should manage their differences through dialogue and work to avoid escalating competition between the world's two major powers.
Artificial intelligence was among the issues discussed. Xi said the United States and China have both the capability and responsibility to ensure AI development remains under human control and serves people's interests.
The discussions also came amid continuing disagreements between Washington and Beijing over trade, technology, Taiwan and other international issues. Recent talks between the two governments have included efforts to maintain a more stable economic relationship.
After the talks, Trump showed Xi the newly completed White House helipad and gave him a brief look inside Marine One. Trump also joked about Xi's interest in granite while showing him the new landing area.
Xi later left the White House but was expected to return with his wife, Peng Liyuan, for a state dinner. The visit is being closely watched for signs of progress in the relationship between Washington and Beijing.
For now, Trump's description of the talks as a “great meeting” reflects his assessment of the encounter, while the longer-term impact of the discussions will depend on how the two governments handle the outstanding economic and geopolitical issues between them.