US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping called for closer co-operation on trade, security and artificial intelligence during remarks at the White House on Thursday. While Trump sought a more balanced trading relationship, Xi urged fair treatment for Chinese companies in the United States.
Welcoming Xi on a state visit, Trump said their relationship was built on “mutual respect” and that the two countries had made “tremendous strides on the issues facing our two countries”.
Trump said Washington and Beijing were working towards a “more balanced trading relationship”, including new market access for American farmers and ranchers. His remarks placed agricultural trade alongside a broader agenda covering security and emerging technologies.
The two sides would discuss pressing issues involving “security, technology and super intelligence”, Trump said. Decisions in these areas could “promote peace and prosperity for decades and decades to come”, he added.
Xi, in turn, said China was willing to co-operate with Washington on trade, while calling for competition between the two economies to remain “healthy”. He described it as a race in which each side sought to catch up with the other, rather than a contest defined by winners and losers.
He also raised the treatment of Chinese businesses operating in the American market, saying he hoped “Chinese companies are treated fairly here in the US”.
On artificial intelligence, Xi said both countries had a responsibility to develop the technology for good, ensure it remained under human control and make it beneficial to people.
The Chinese leader called for stronger communication, arguing that sustained dialogue could help the two countries manage their differences and deepen trust.
“China and the US are different… but through candid, in-depth, and continued dialogue, our two countries can understand each other better… and build up mutual trust,” Xi said.
He said he and Trump respected each other and stayed in touch. “We should co-operate with sincerity,” he added, describing the interests of the two countries as “deeply intertwined”.
Xi said there was room for collaboration. While bilateral co-operation might not resolve every global problem, many would be difficult to address without it, he said.
Thanking Trump and his wife for their hospitality, Xi said he was glad to visit the “beautiful” United States and congratulated the country on the 250th anniversary of its independence.
He said his visit aimed to continue the friendship and expand co-operation, adding that he was ready to work with Trump to steer the China-US relationship towards a steady future.
Trump ended his remarks by referring to the US Marines’ adoption of “gung-ho”, which he described as a Chinese phrase meaning “working together”. He said the two leaders would continue working together before welcoming Xi and his wife.