U.S. President Donald Trump met with Chinese President Xi Jinping and said U.S.-China relations will be "better than ever."
"It's an honor to be your friend," Trump said Friday in opening remarks at the U.S.-China summit held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Addressing Xi, Trump said, "We have known each other for a long time," adding, "It is a great honor for me that we have maintained the longest-running relationship among presidents of the two countries." The remarks were interpreted as emphasizing that theirs is the longest-standing personal relationship among successive U.S. and Chinese presidents.
"We have maintained a fantastic relationship," Trump said. "Even when there were difficulties, we resolved the issues. When I called you, you called back, and whenever problems arose, we resolved them very quickly. We will continue to build a fantastic future going forward."
Trump said, "I express deep respect for China and pay tribute to the achievements you have made," adding, "You are a great leader, and I tell everyone that. Sometimes there are people who don't like me saying that, but I say it anyway. Because it's true. I always tell the truth."
"Our delegation includes some of the world's top business leaders," Trump said. "They came here to pay respect to you and to China, and they are looking forward to trade and business cooperation. On our side, we will also forge a fully reciprocal partnership."
