Leaders Address Nuclear Concerns
Donald Trump told reporters that he and Xi Jinping ‘did discuss Iran’ as the pair held head-to-head, more personal talks in Zhongnanhai on Friday.
“We did discuss Iran. We feel very similar on Iran and we want that to end. And we don’t want them to have a nuclear weapon. We want the Straits open,” he said. “We’re closing it now. They closed it and we closed it in on top of them, but we want the Straits open, and we want them to get it ended because, it’s a crazy thing. They’re a little bit crazy, and it’s no good. You can’t have it. They cannot have a nuclear weapon.”
Trump Praises Diplomatic Engagement
He also thanked Xi again for the visit and looked forward to the return trip, announced on Thursday.
“On September 24th or thereabouts President Xi’s going to be coming to the United States. And we will be reciprocal, like reciprocal trade. The visit will be reciprocal. We’re going to, lay it on the line, and we’re going to have, you’re going to you’re going to walk away, I hope hopefully very impressed,” he added.
Xi is hosting Trump on a garden walk and a smaller working tea and lunch, away from the larger delegations that dominated Thursday’s talks. The stop at Zhongnanhai comes on day two of Trump’s May 13-15 state visit to China, his first presidential trip there since 2017.
Taiwan Issue Shadows US-China Talks
Zhongnanhai, a residence for the Chinese leadership and a former imperial garden is next to the Forbidden City.
On Thursday, Trump was treated to an official welcome in Beijing and the two held expanded talks. Xi warned that mishandling Taiwan could push the two countries towards ‘clashes and even conflicts.’
At the state banquet the Chinese leader called on the US not to ‘mess up’ their relationship. Trump also risked insulting his hosts by telling them ‘American travellers to China helped spread literacy and modern medicine’.
Air Force One Departure Planned
Trump is expected to head directly from Zhongnanhai to Beijing Capital International Airport for a formal departure ceremony, before boarding Air Force One for DC.
Article by Viory
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