Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday called on the United States and China to explore new ways for major powers to work together, urging to write “new chapter” of Sino-US friendship.
“Like a river that never stops flowing, history never stands still. The friendship between the two peoples is a worthy cause that holds great promise. Let us join hands and move forward side by side. Together, let us nurture the beautiful flowers of Sino-US friendship. Together, let us write a new chapter in our friendly relations,” Xi said.
The comments came as the Chinese President held high-stakes talks with US' Donald Trump amid global divisions over the war in Iran, trade and the rapid development of artificial intelligence. Track Trump-Xi meet live updates.
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Trump, welcoming Xi to the White House for a state visit, said the two leaders had developed a close relationship since his first election in 2016.
On unchecked US-China rivalry
Xi struck a more pointed tone, saying the interests of the world's two biggest powers are “deeply intertwined” and that competition between them should remain within limits.
{{/usCountry}}Xi struck a more pointed tone, saying the interests of the world's two biggest powers are “deeply intertwined” and that competition between them should remain within limits.
{{/usCountry}}“The competition should be a healthy one and should be kept within bounds,” Xi said.
Xi also repeated his warning against falling into the “Thucydides trap” – the idea that conflict can emerge when a rising power challenges an established one. Xi had issued a similar warning during Trump's visit to Beijing in May.
“It should be a race of catching up with one another, not a wrestle in which one either wins or loses,” Xi added, news agency Associated Press reported.
Taiwan remains a key point
Taiwan was also raised during the leaders' private conversation. Xi told Trump that he hoped Washington would continue to oppose Taiwan independence and urged him to “prudently handle the Taiwan issue”, according to Chinese state media outlet Xinhua.
The White House had not immediately released a readout of the talks, while Trump had yet to publicly detail the substance of his conversation with Xi.
Beijing has repeatedly called on Washington to stop arms sales to Taiwan. After the two leaders met in Beijing in May, Trump said he was holding off on final approval of a record $14 billion arms package that was in the pipeline.
Trump had also described arms sales to Taiwan as a “very good negotiating chip” in talks with China.
Discussion on AI cooperation
Artificial intelligence was another area on the agenda, with Xi calling for both countries to ensure that the technology remains under human control.
Xi said the two countries had “the capability and responsibility to develop and manage AI for good and ensure that the development of AI is always under human control and serves the well-being of the people.”
The comments came after finance ministers from the two countries met earlier this week, with the US proposing a new “notification mechanism” for AI-related incidents between Washington and Beijing.
The two countries also agreed on Wednesday to extend their one-year trade truce by two months. The extension came as Washington and Beijing work towards a longer-term trade agreement, with the existing truce having been due to expire on November 10.