President Trump described the US-China relationship as “very strong” and touted that he and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping have “settled a lot of different problems” others couldn’t.
“This has been an incredible visit. I think a lot of, a lot of good has come of it,” Trump told Xi at the Zhongnanhai Gardenon his final day in Beijing.
“He’s a man I respect greatly. Become really a friend,” Trump said of Xi. “We’ve known each other now 11 years, almost 12 years. That’s a long time, and we’ve settled a lot of different problems that other people wouldn’t have been able to settle, and the relationship is a very strong one.
“We’ve really done some wonderful things.”
Trump made the remarks ahead of tea and a working lunch at the Chinese Communist Party’s lavish compound, which also houses Xi’s primary residence.
“I’ve chosen this place especially to reciprocate the hospitality extended to me in 2017 at Mar-a-Lago,” Xi said, through an interpreter.
In another gesture of goodwill, Xi promised to send Trump Chinese rose seeds “as a gift.”
“I love that. That’s great,” Trump responded, before talking up “some fantastic trade deals” that have been struck, without providing details.
The president also reiterated points of agreement on Iran, namely that both he and Xi want to see the conflict end, don’t want the Iranian regime to acquire a nuclear weapon and want the Strait of Hormuz open for trade.
“We discussed a lot of other things also, and I think we’re very much in agreement,” Trump added.
The president concluded by pledging to be “reciprocal, like reciprocal trade,” if Xi visits Washington later this year.
“We’re going to lay it on the line,” Trump said of the expected September get-together, “and we’re going to have – you’re going to walk away, hopefully very impressed, like I’m very impressed with China.”
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