President Donald Trump welcomed his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, to the White House on Thursday with a message of rapprochement between the two powers and emphasized the "truly extraordinary friendship" that he asserted they have built over the past decade.
"Since my first election in 2016, President Xi and I have forged a truly extraordinary friendship, built on mutual respect and the vital interests of our peoples," Trump stated during the welcome ceremony, as reported by the agency EFE.
The U.S. president even referred to the cooperation between both countries during World War II to defend the possibility of maintaining a relationship of understanding.
"Just as our peoples worked together to win that war, President Xi and I will continue to work together to forge a better future for our two nations," he stated.
Trump also highlighted that Xi is the first Chinese president to make two state visits to the United States. The previous one took place in 2015, during Barack Obama’s administration.
Xi, for his part, took advantage of the meeting to urge that the competition between the two largest economies in the world does not lead to confrontation.
"China and the United States must not cross the line of conflict and confrontation," he warned.
The Chinese leader defended a "healthy" competition within "reasonable limits" and stated that the bilateral relationship should not turn into "a struggle where one wins and the other loses."
The visit of Xi, which takes place from September 23 to 25, includes among its main points a bilateral meeting with Trump and a state dinner at the White House.
The Chinese leader arrived with a business delegation that included representatives from companies such as BYD, Xiaomi, and Alibaba, and called for fair conditions for his country's companies in U.S. territory.
"China keeps its doors wide open and welcomes U.S. companies that wish to invest and do business there. We hope that Chinese companies receive fair treatment here in the United States," he stated.
Among the main issues on the table is the trade truce between Washington and Beijing, which Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced will be extended for two months, until January 10, 2027.
The discussions also include the Chinese restrictions on rare earth exports to the United States and the cooperation and competition in artificial intelligence, one of the strategic sectors for both countries.
"Both China and the United States are leading nations in artificial intelligence. We have both the capability and the responsibility to develop and manage AI for the common good," Xi stated.
The meeting is the second between Trump and Xi this year. Both met in Beijing in May, during the U.S. president's visit to China.
The reception this Thursday aims to keep the channels of dialogue open between Washington and Beijing amid ongoing trade, technological, and geopolitical differences that continue to shape the relationship between the two powers.
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