Chinese President Xi: The two countries should be partners, not rivals

Chinese President Xi Jinping hosted a welcome dinner in Beijing in honor of U.S. President Donald Trump, who is visiting his country. After the dinner held in the Golden Hall of the Great Hall of the People, Xi and Trump each gave a speech.

In his speech, Xi reminded that this year marks the beginning of China's '15th Five-Year Plan' period. He stated that more than 1.4 billion Chinese, rising on the foundations of a civilization over 5,000 years old, are comprehensively advancing Chinese-style modernization through high-quality development. Xi also noted that this year marks the 250th anniversary of the United States' independence, and that more than 300 million Americans continue to take their country on a new journey by reviving the spirit of patriotism, innovation, and pioneering.

Emphasizing that both the Chinese and American people are great nations, Xi said, "Realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and making America great again are not contradictory; on the contrary, they can support each other and benefit the world."

'IF THE TWO COUNTRIES COOPERATE, BOTH WILL WIN'

Chinese President Xi stated that 55 years ago, the 'Ping Pong Diplomacy' between China and the U.S. opened the door to thawing over 20 years of frozen relations between the two countries and became an important event in the history of contemporary international relations. Xi said, "In the new context, I have made efforts to maintain the overall stability of China-U.S. relations by holding face-to-face meetings and phone conversations with President Trump multiple times. We both agree that the China-U.S. relationship is the most important bilateral relationship in today's world and that it should be well-managed and never allowed to deteriorate. If the two countries cooperate, both will win; if they clash, both will suffer. The two countries should be partners, not rivals. We agreed to build constructive, strategic, and stable relations between our countries to promote the stable, healthy, and sustainable development of bilateral relations, bringing more peace, prosperity, and progress to the world."

Xi stated that China-U.S. relations concern the welfare of more than 1.7 billion people in the two countries and also the interests of over 8 billion people worldwide, emphasizing that they should jointly undertake this great historical responsibility and steer the ship of China-U.S. relations steadily in the right direction.

TRUMP: U.S. AND CHINA SHOULD STRENGTHEN COOPERATION

In his speech, Trump expressed his sincere thanks to Xi for the warm hospitality shown to him. Saying that he had a wonderful day and that his visit was important, Trump noted that the two sides had a constructive and positive dialogue. Trump emphasized that the people of the U.S. and China admire each other, respect each other, and have a deep-rooted friendship, stating, "U.S.-China relations are the most important bilateral relationship in the world. The two countries need to strengthen cooperation to create a better future for the world."