Xi Tells Trump China And The US Should Be 'Partners Not Rivals'

A Warm Opening to High-Stakes Talks

Chinese President Xi Jinping opened a closely watched summit with US President Donald Trump in Beijing on Thursday by calling for the world's two largest economies to pursue cooperation over confrontation. "We should be partners, not rivals, achieve success for one another, prosper together and forge a correct way for major countries of the new era to get along with each other," Xi said.

It was the two leaders' first face-to-face meeting since October, and the first visit to China by a US president since Trump traveled to Beijing in 2017. Trump and Xi met for two hours and 15 minutes at the start of their highly anticipated two-day summit.

Trump hailed their "fantastic relationship" and said he had "such respect" for Xi and China, praising him as a "great leader." He added that the US delegation looked forward to discussing reciprocal trade, and that it was an "honor" to be there.

Tariffs, Taiwan and Iran Cloud the Agenda

The two leaders began a crucial series of meetings where few breakthroughs are expected on divisive issues ranging from the Iran war, trade, technology and Taiwan. Trump hopes to focus talks on trade and deals for China to buy more agricultural products and passenger planes, setting up a board to address their differences and avoid a repeat of last year's trade war.

With a temporary trade truce set to expire in November, tariffs remain a major flashpoint. Shortly after returning to office, Trump reignited the trade war with sweeping new tariffs that escalated to as high as 145% on Chinese goods. Subsequent talks reduced those levies to double-digit levels, and a summit in South Korea last October extended reductions for another year.

Xi warned Trump that mishandling Taiwan would cause "clashes and even conflicts, putting the entire relationship in great jeopardy," according to Beijing's foreign ministry. Both leaders deflected reporters' questions on whether Taiwan was directly discussed during the session.

The US war with Iran also hung over the talks. Trump is seeking a deal with Iran, but negotiations appear stalled as both countries vie for control over the Strait of Hormuz. Trump is expected to encourage Xi to push Tehran, a Chinese ally, to agree to a peace deal and reopen the Strait, a chokepoint vital to global oil trade.

While expectations of a major breakthrough remain limited, the summit signals that both Washington and Beijing are trying to prevent tensions from escalating further at a time when global markets and governments are closely watching every move.

Sources:
NBC News: Trump-Xi Beijing Summit Live Updates
CBS News: Trump Meets Xi in Beijing as Taiwan, Trade and Tariffs Loom
Council on Foreign Relations: At the Trump-Xi Summit, China Will Have the Upper Hand