China, US should be partners and friends - Xi Jinping

Speaking at the opening of the US-China Bilateral Summit held on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Week in Busan, Xi said history and reality both demand that Beijing and Washington work together to ensure global stability and prosperity.

“Given our different national conditions, it is normal for the two leading economies of the world to have friction now and then,” Xi said.

“In the face of winds, waves and challenges, you and I at the helm of China-US relations should stay the right course and ensure the steady sailing forward of the giant ship of China-US relations.”

Xi also expressed appreciation for US President Donald Trump’s efforts in promoting peace in various regions, including the recent Gaza ceasefire agreement and the signing of the Joint Declaration on peace along the Cambodia-Thailand border witnessed during Trump’s visit to Malaysia.

“Our two countries are fully able to help each other succeed and prosper together,” Xi said, adding that recent consultations between economic and trade teams from both sides had yielded encouraging progress.

Trump, who was re-elected to a second term last year, described Xi as “a great leader of a great country” and said the bilateral relationship was poised for a “fantastic” future.

“I think we’ve already agreed to a lot of things, and we’ll agree to some more right now,” Trump said. “It’s an honour to have you with us.”

The summit marks the first in-person meeting between the two leaders since Trump’s re-election, following months of correspondence and virtual engagements. Both sides are expected to discuss a wide range of issues including trade, regional security, and climate cooperation.

The Gyeongju summit comes amid heightened global tensions and economic uncertainty, with observers viewing the meeting as a critical opportunity to reset the tone of US-China relations.