US, Chinese presidents discuss Middle East, Ukraine and Korean Peninsula crises

Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump discussed several international issues on Thursday, including the situation in the Middle East, the crisis in Ukraine, and tensions on the Korean Peninsula, according to the Chinese news agency.

During a welcome ceremony hosted by Trump at the White House, Xi said he was ready to work with the US president to steer the "giant ship" of China-US relations toward a stable course in the future, calling on both countries to strengthen sincere communication, cooperation, and peaceful coexistence.

Xi and Trump held a brief meeting in the Oval Office at the White House as part of the Chinese president's visit to the United States.

On Wednesday, Xi expressed confidence that China and the United States, as two major powers, could find the right path for coexistence in a new era.

In a written statement upon his arrival in the United States, Xi noted that this year marks a critical stage in the development of both countries. He added that he and Trump had agreed during his visit to China in May to build a constructive relationship between Beijing and Washington characterized by strategic stability.

The Chinese president stressed that this agreement provided strategic guidance for the development of bilateral relations, emphasizing the need for China and the United States to work together to foster a stable relationship based on cooperation, moderate competition, managing differences, and maintaining peace.