China-US: Trump sees a 'fantastic future' between the two countries

After much pomp and ceremony, bilateral talks in Beijing between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his United States counterpart Donald Trump got underway on Thursday afternoon.

Xi had greeted Trump with a red carpet welcome at the Great Hall of the People – China’s national legislature - with military band fanfare and a gun salute.

In his opening remarks, Xi said stability in US-China relations was necessary for global order and that he believed their common interests outweighed their differences.

Confrontation harms both countries, he said, adding that they should be partners not rivals.

Trump replied that Xi was a “great leader” and that the relationship between the two countries was “going to be better than ever” and have a “fantastic future”.

Trump’s visit is the first by a US president in nearly a decade, but the grand reception and opening remarks bely a host of unresolved issues between the two countries.

Relations have been overshadowed by tensions over the war in Iran, Taiwan, and longstanding disputes over trade and cutting-edge technology.

Top of Trump's wish list for the summit will be business deals on agriculture, aircraft orders for Boeing, and other topics. China's controls on rare earth exports and AI rivalry will also likely be discussed.

However, few breakthroughs are expected during a summit that is expected to add stability to the often rocky relationship between the two superpowers.