Trump and Xi hold first official talks in eight years at White House

US President Donald Trump welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping to the White House on Thursday, marking Xi’s first official visit to the United States since 2015.

Trump said President Xi’s visit comes at a pivotal moment in American history, praising the relationship between Washington and Beijing and highlighting what he described as significant progress on several shared issues.

He added that US-China ties are built on “mutual respect,” expressing pride in the relationship between the two countries.

The US president noted that he and Xi held discussions that achieved, in his words, “tremendous progress” on challenges facing both nations, confirming that the meeting would address key topics including security and artificial intelligence.

Trump praises friendship with Xi

Trump spoke warmly of his “great friendship” with President Xi, recalling their meeting at the airport on Wednesday.

He said he met Xi at the airport, describing him as “strong, energetic, in good health, and better than ever,” and also praised China’s first lady, saying, “Madam Xi is, of course, beautiful.”

Xi: China and US share responsibility for AI management

For his part, President Xi Jinping said on Thursday that his visit to the United States aims to promote friendship, cooperation, and the well-being of both peoples.

According to China Global Television Network, Xi delivered remarks during a welcoming ceremony hosted by President Trump at the White House on Thursday.

In his speech, Xi announced that China will invite 100,000 young Americans to visit and study in China over the next five years as part of exchange programs.

He also stated that a pair of pandas will soon make their home at Atlanta Zoo in the coming days.

President Xi emphasized that China and the United States, as leading nations in artificial intelligence, share a responsibility to ensure this technology benefits humanity, stressing that AI development must remain under human control and contribute to people’s welfare.

Xi said, “China and the United States are leading countries in artificial intelligence,” adding, “Together, we have the ability and responsibility to develop and manage AI for good, ensuring its development always remains under human oversight and serves the well-being of people.”

He added that China and the United States bear a “historic responsibility” to drive global development and human progress, noting that his first visit to the US in over a decade aims to strengthen friendship and expand cooperation between the two countries.

President Xi said, “I am visiting the United States at President Trump’s invitation to continue our friendship, expand cooperation, and enhance the well-being of our peoples,” expressing his readiness to work with Trump to “steer the giant ship of China-US relations steadily into the future.”

Xi noted that the interests of China and the United States are “deeply intertwined,” and there is broad scope for cooperation, adding that while cooperation may not solve all global problems, “many of the world’s challenges are difficult to resolve without our collaboration.”