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U.S. President Donald Trump highlighted this Thursday the "extraordinary friendship" he maintains with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, and proposed working together to forge "a better future" for both countries, upon receiving him at the White House.
"Since my first election in 2016, President Xi and I have forged a truly extraordinary friendship, built on mutual respect and the vital interests of our peoples," Trump stated during the welcoming ceremony for the Chinese leader and his wife, Peng Liyuan.
The Republican stressed that Xi is the first Chinese president to make two state visits to Washington, after the one he made in 2015 during Barack Obama's term.
Trump also called for deepening the relationship between both countries, which he said were "allies" during World War II, when the United States cooperated with Chinese forces against the Japanese occupation.
"Just as our peoples worked together to win that war, President Xi and I will continue working together to forge a better future for our two nations. Thank you once again for making this historic visit and welcome to the United States of America," he declared.
Trump often refers to the relationship with China in personal terms and highlights the affinity and friendship he maintains with Xi as a way to navigate the strong tensions between Washington and Beijing.
This is the second time both leaders have met this year, following the meeting they held in Beijing last May.
The goal is to lower tensions in a relationship marked by trade, technological, and geopolitical disputes, ranging from tariffs and rare earth elements to the Iran war, Taiwan, and the race for artificial intelligence (AI).
Although no major agreements are expected, both leaders will likely try to preserve the cordial tone of their previous meetings and keep communication channels open. EFE
[Publicidad]