(Xinhua/Ding Lin)
Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with visiting US President Donald Trump at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Thursday.
A transformation unseen in a century is accelerating globally, and the international situation is unstable and turbulent, Xi said.
“Can China and the United States overcome the Thucydides Trap and create a new model of major-country relations? Can we jointly address global challenges and bring more stability to the world? Can we jointly build a bright future for our bilateral relations, for the sake of the well-being of our two peoples and the future of humanity? These are crucial questions for history, for the world and for people,” Xi said.
These are the questions of our time that the leaders of major countries must answer together, he added.
“I look forward to working with you to chart the course and steer the great ship of China-US relations, so as to make 2026 a historic and iconic year that opens a new chapter in China-US relations,” Xi said.
“I agreed with President Trump on a new vision to establish a constructive relationship of strategic stability between China and the United States,” Xi said.
This new vision will serve as a strategic guideline for bilateral relations over the next three years and beyond, and must be welcomed by the people of both countries as well as the international community, he said.
“Constructive strategic stability” should be positive stability based primarily on cooperation, healthy stability characterized by moderate competition, consistent stability where differences remain manageable, and lasting stability that holds the promise of peace, Xi said.
Building a constructive relationship of strategic stability between China and the United States should not be limited to a simple slogan, but must translate into concrete actions carried out by both sides towards a common goal, he added.
Economic relations between China and the United States are mutually beneficial and win-win in nature, Xi said. “In case of disagreements or frictions, consultation on an equal footing is the only right choice,” he added.
Xi said the two countries’ economic and trade teams achieved “overall balanced and positive results” in the latest round of bilateral trade talks held on Wednesday.
“This is good news for the people of the two countries and for the whole world,” he said, calling on both sides to maintain the hard-won positive momentum.
Noting that China will only further open its doors, Xi said that American companies are deeply involved in China’s reform and opening-up, and the American side is welcome to strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation.
“The two sides should implement the important consensus we have reached and make greater use of communication channels in the political and diplomatic fields and between militaries,” Xi said.
He added that the two countries should also expand exchanges and cooperation in areas such as economy and trade, health, agriculture, tourism, people-to-people relations and law enforcement.
On the Taiwan issue, Xi stressed that it is the most important issue in China-US relations.
If this is managed correctly, bilateral relations will benefit from general stability. Otherwise, the two countries will experience clashes and even conflicts, which will seriously jeopardize their entire relations, Xi said, urging the US side to exercise greater caution in handling the Taiwan issue.
Safeguarding peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is the greatest common denominator between China and the United States, Xi said, stressing that “Taiwan independence” and peace across the Taiwan Strait are as irreconcilable as fire and water.
Mr. Trump said it was a great honor to pay a state visit to China, calling Mr. Xi a great leader and China a great country. “I have tremendous respect for President Xi and the Chinese people,” Mr. Trump said.
Trump said he is ready to work with Xi to strengthen communication and cooperation, properly manage differences, make bilateral relations better than ever and look toward a fantastic future.
The United States and China are the most important and powerful countries in the world, and both presidents can “accomplish great and good things for both countries and for the world,” he said.
Mr. Trump encouraged representatives of the American business community to expand cooperation with China.
The two presidents exchanged views on major international and regional issues, such as the situation in the Middle East, the Ukrainian crisis and the Korean Peninsula.
They also agreed to support each other to ensure the success of this year’s APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting and G20 Summit.
