Beijing: Welcomed to Beijing with a red carpet ceremony of military pageantry and pomp on Thursday, US President Donald Trump was effusive with praise for his Chinese counterpart and “great leader” Xi Jinping, who used the first talks of their two-day summit to send a warning about Taiwan.
The world’s two most powerful men, keenly attuned to the optics of this high-stakes visit, projected an image of friendly rapport but had contrasting messages, before closing the doors at the Great Hall of the People to discuss the deep tensions that underpin the US-China relationship.
More restrained than his American rival, Xi said the two countries stood to benefit from co-operation and should be “partners and not rivals”, adding that “when we confront each other, both sides suffer”, in brief remarks that were open to the media.
But behind closed doors, he delivered a warning to Trump over Taiwan, which he described as the “most important issue” shaping the future of China-US ties.
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