President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping kept the compliments flowing during Thursday night’s state dinner at the White House.
The dinner capped a long, but friendly, day of meetings and celebrations, as the world’s two most powerful leaders seek to settle trade differences while simultaneously thawing the icy relationship between the United States and China.
Still, Trump and Xi may be uniquely positioned to substantially improve the bilateral relations, as the two appear to have developed a friendship over the past 10 years.
Trump opened the programming with brief comments, speaking for just over 10 minutes. In his one self-admitted, off-script moment, Trump invited his guests to visit the under-construction White House ballroom, marking the first foreign dignitaries to step foot in the future event space.
“I had to do it,” Trump said with a smile as he veered off script to the laughter of the crowd. “It’s one year away from completion — the new ballroom that you’ve heard about — and you will see something that I think you will really love. Presidents have been trying to get this built for 150 years, and I can tell you that tonight, if we had it, we would have had way more than 1,000 people with standing room only.”
Throughout his comments, the president noted that America opened bilateral relations with China shortly after declaring independence, but the first Chinese delegation didn’t visit the U.S. until nearly 100 years later.
“We revive the spirit of that first encounter here on American soil as we are joined by some of the top leaders in business, culture, and government from our own time. On one side, China draws on thousands of years of history and tradition from Sun Tzu to Sun Yat-sen,” he said. “As for Americans, we inherit a legacy of faith from Jerusalem to Rome, democracy of ancient Athens, the triumphs of Sparta, and the freedom proclaimed in Philadelphia 250 years ago.”
“President Xi and Madam Peng, Melania and I want to thank you for making your journey, and it is a long journey to America during our 250th year,” Trump concluded. “I’d like to raise a glass and propose a toast to President Xi, Madam Peng, and the long relationship between China and America that has bridged thousands of miles and spanned hundreds of years. And may all of our people know a future of harmony, peace, and success.”
Like Trump, Xi’s own comments were heavy on the pleasantries, noting that even former President George Washington favored Chinese porcelain. The remarks were also forward-looking on the future of U.S.-China relations.
“China and the United States must act as responsible major countries, meet the expectations of our peoples, keep pace with the trend of our times, and explore a new approach for major countries to get along with each other,” Xi closed, before toasting Trump and first lady Melania Trump.
“Like a river that never stops flowing, history never stands still. The friendship between the two peoples is a worthy cause that holds great promise. Let us join hands and move forward side by side. Together, let us nurture the beautiful flowers of Sino-U.S. friendship. Together, let us write a new chapter in our friendly relations,” he said.
TRUMP GIFTS XI A BALD EAGLE STATUE DURING STATE DINNER
You can watch Trump and Xi’s comments in full below.
Continue reading...
[ H/T Washington Examiner ]
