Agencies | Washington:
US President Donald Trump arrived in Beijing on Wednesday, marking the first visit by an American president to China in nearly a decade amid growing global tensions and strained bilateral relations.
Trump is scheduled to hold extensive discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday and Friday, with trade expected to remain at the centre of the talks. The two sides are also likely to deliberate on the Taiwan issue and the ongoing Iran conflict, both considered major flashpoints between Washington and Beijing.
Before departing for Beijing, Trump told reporters that he intended to have a “long talk” with Xi regarding Iran, although he maintained that the United States did not require China’s assistance in dealing with the crisis.
“We’ll win it one way or the other, peacefully or otherwise,” Trump said while addressing the media ahead of his visit.
Meanwhile, the Chinese Embassy in the United States reiterated Beijing’s position that “mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation” remain the foundation for stable China-US relations.
China also underlined what it described as “four red lines” that should not be challenged in bilateral ties. These include the Taiwan question, democracy and human rights issues, differences in political systems, and China’s development rights.
Beijing said it remains willing to expand cooperation with the United States while managing differences through dialogue and diplomatic engagement.
