On Thursday, Chinese President Xi Jinping reaffirmed his call for a renewed spirit of cooperation between China and the United States, stating that the two major economic powers should see themselves as friends and partners and that cooperation is more necessary than confrontation due to history and present circumstances.
The Chinese president acknowledged the differences between Beijing and Washington during his opening remarks at a highly anticipated bilateral meeting with US President Donald Trump on the fringes of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Busan. He noted that the tension was "normal" given that both countries have the world's largest economies.
But he emphasised how crucial it is to lead the relationship in the correct way "in the face of winds, waves, and challenges."
"Seeing you again makes me feel very warm. We have had three phone conversations, exchanged numerous letters, and maintained close communication since your reelection. We don't agree with each other given the state of our country, and it's reasonable for the two biggest economies in the world to occasionally clash," the Chinese President stated.
"You and I at the helm of China-US relations should continue to steer the enormous ship of China-US relations in the face of winds, seas, and obstacles. I always argue that your goal of restoring America's greatness is closely related to China's development. Together, our two nations can completely support one another's success and prosperity. China and the United States should be friends and partners, as I have repeatedly said in public. This is what reality requires and what history taught us," he continued.
The Chinese President pointed out that the economic teams of both nations had lately come to a "basic consensus" on how to handle important issues, including the trade issue, opening the door for fruitful communication between the two leaders.
"In the most recent round of conflict, a few days ago, our two economic teams came to a fundamental agreement on resolving our main issues. This optimistic development created the prerequisite for today's discussion. Xi Jinping declared, "Mr. President, I'm prepared to continue working with you to build a solid foundation for China-US relations and create a sound atmosphere for the development of both countries."
Additionally, Xi commended Trump's engagement in international peace initiatives, pointing to his "great contribution to the recent conclusion of the Gaza ceasefire agreement" and his involvement in the "joint declaration on peace along the Cambodia-Thailand border."
China has been assisting Cambodia and Thailand "properly settle their border disputes" and encouraging peace negotiations on other regional concerns, he continued.
"Mr President, you care a lot about world peace and you're very enthusiastic about settling various regional hotspot issues," remarked Xi Jinping.
"There are a lot of difficult issues facing the globe today. As large nations, China and the US can share responsibility and collaborate to achieve more significant and tangible goals for the benefit of both nations as well as the global community. I'm looking forward to discussing issues that are significant to both our nations and the global community with you," he continued.
Despite increasing trade tension, the meeting between the leaders of the two major economic powers has offered a chance to stabilize relations.
Both parties are looking for common ground as a result of China's limits on rare earth shipments and Trump's tariff policies, which have increased economic uncertainty worldwide.
Prior to the meeting, US sources said that Trump was unlikely to follow through on his earlier threat to raise the import tax on Chinese goods to 100%.
Beijing, meanwhile, reportedly indicated that it was prepared to ease limits on the sale of rare earth elements and start importing soybeans from the United States again.
In the meantime, Trump called his Chinese counterpart a "very tough negotiator" and hinted that their conversation will focus on long standing economic issues as they shook hands on a red carpet decorated with US and Chinese flags prior to their meeting.
