President Xi Jinping told Donald Trump on Thursday that Beijing and Washington must peacefully manage their superpower rivalry, as the US president gave his Chinese counterpart a lavish welcome to the White House.

In his opening remarks with Trump, Xi said the two countries must ensure there is "no conflict and no confrontation between us."

Xi also warned that the development of artificial intelligence should be "always under human control" – in contrast to Trump, who has repeatedly dismissed warnings that AI could threaten humanity itself.

Trump, for his part, emphasised his "truly great friendship" with Xi.

"President Xi and I have made tremendous strides on the issues facing our two countries," he said after greeting Xi for his first visit to the White House in over a decade.

Xi said the two countries' interests were deeply intertwined and that competition between them should be a "healthy one." US companies were welcome in China, he said, adding that he hopes "Chinese companies are treated fairly here in the United States."

A readout from Xinhua news agency after the two leaders met in the Oval Office quoted Xi as saying that the two sides need to work toward a relationship featuring cooperation as the mainstay, while moderating competition and managing differences with promises of peace.

The president also said a new trade arrangement between the two superpowers was good news for industries and people of both countries, as well as the global economy.

As long as the two sides uphold the spirit of equality, mutual respect and mutual benefit, a way out of problems can be found, Xi said.

On AI, Xi said while China and US are competitors as major powers in the field, they have even more reason to cooperate. He called for continued dialogue to exchange views on its risks and benefits, and to work together to prevent the misuse and abuse of the technology.

Xinhua cited Xi as saying that the two sides should maintain "human control" over Ai technologies, and ensure that AI serves human progress.

He also urged Washington to adhere to the correct position of opposing "Taiwan independence" and handle the Taiwan question with caution, so as to lay a solid foundation for China-US strategic cooperation.

On Iran, Xi urged Trump to end the Mideast war "through negotiation as soon as possible," after the American leader forcefully defended his use of military power in a speech at the UN earlier this week, suggesting he could "annihilate" Iran.

Following their remarks on ⁠Thursday, the two leaders observed a military ceremony including a flyover at the Rose Garden. After their closed-door meeting, Trump gave Xi a tour of the new helipad he had recently constructed on the White House's South Lawn.

"He loves good granite," Trump told reporters, adding that the two men had a "great meeting" without elaborating. (Xinhua and agencies)



Edited by Cecil Wong