'Partners, not rivals': Xi Jinping's key message to Trump during crucial Beijing meeting

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday urged the United States to choose partnership over rivalry as he held bilateral talks with US President Donald Trump during the latter's three-day visit to Beijing amid growing geopolitical and economic tensions.

Trump, who arrived in the Chinese capital on Wednesday, was welcomed with a ceremonial guard of honour by the Honour Guard Battalion of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) before heading for high-level discussions with Xi at the Great Hall of the People.

Addressing Trump during the meeting, Xi stressed the importance of stable ties between the world's two largest economies and said cooperation between Washington and Beijing was essential for global peace and development.

"We should help each other succeed and prosper together and find the right way for major countries to get along well with each other in the new era. A stable China-US relationship is a boon for the world. Cooperation benefits both sides, while confrontation harms both. We should be partners and not rivals," Xi said.

Welcoming Trump to China, the Chinese President noted that the world was undergoing rapid geopolitical transformation and called the current international situation "fluid and turbulent".

"The whole world is watching our meeting. Currently, a transformation not seen in a century is accelerating across the globe, and the world has come to a new crossroads," Xi said.

Referring to the concept of the "Thucydides trap" — the idea that conflict becomes likely when a rising power challenges an established one — Xi questioned whether China and the United States could avoid confrontation and create a new framework for ties.

"Can China and the United States overcome the Thucydides trap and create a new paradigm of major country relations? Can we meet global challenges together and provide more stability for the world?" Xi asked.

"These are the questions vital to history, to the world, and to the people. They are the questions of our times that you and I need to answer as leaders of major countries," he added.

Trump, in response, highlighted his long-standing relationship with Xi and praised the Chinese leader's leadership style.

"You and I have known each other for a long time — longer than any other US and Chinese presidents," Trump said.

"You are a great leader. People don't like me saying that, but I say it anyway because it's true," he added.

Expressing optimism over future bilateral ties, Trump said theUnited States and China could build a "fantastic future together".

"It's an honour to be with you. It's an honour to be your friend, and the relationship between China and the US is going to be better than ever before," the US President said.

The meeting between the two leaders comes amid heightened global focus on US-China relations, particularly over trade disputes, technology competition, Taiwan, regional security concerns and broader geopolitical rivalry between the two superpowers.