Xi Jinping gives Trump thinly veiled threat at China summit | News World

Xi Jinping issued what seemed to be a thinly veiled threat to Donald Trump during a US trip to Beijing this week.

Trump opened talks by telling Xi it was an ‘honour’ to be his friend, at the same time as his Chinese counterpart offered a cautionary warning in regards to the risk of a possible clash between the 2 nations.

‘China and the US each stand to realize from cooperation and lose from confrontation,’ Xi said.

‘We must be partners, not rivals. We should always help one another succeed and prosper together and find the proper way for major countries to get along well with one another in the brand new era.’

Xi also said he hoped the 2 nations could ‘transcend the ‘Thucydides Trap’ and forge a brand new model for relations between major powers.’

The Thucydides Trap, a term popularised by American political scientist Graham T Allison, refers back to the high risk of war when an emerging power – on this case, China – replaces one other.

The 2 leaders still differ on many key issues, including the war in Iran, trade disputes and Washington’s relationship with Taiwan.

But in remarks before their meeting on the Great Hall of the People, Trump lauded the Chinese president, telling him: ‘You’re an ideal leader. Sometimes people don’t like me saying it, but I say it anyway, since it’s true.’

Economic ties between China and the US are mutually helpful, Xi told Trump during their talks.

The Chinese president added that there aren’t any winners in trade wars and encouraged the president to hitch him in sustaining the great momentum they’ve worked hard to construct.

The pair chatted after Trump and his US delegates were greeted with a welcome salute and band.

Trump is ready to go to the Temple of Heaven, a non secular complex dating to the fifteenth century that symbolises the connection between heaven and earth.

The White House has insisted that Trump wouldn’t be making the trip without a watch toward securing results before he leaves.

There may very well be announcements coming on trade, including a Chinese commitment to purchase US soybeans, beef and aircraft.

Trump administration officials also need to work toward establishing a Board of Trade with China to deal with business differences between the countries.

But neither side has yet to supply concrete details on what might come of the three-day visit, at a time when Beijing’s close economic ties to Iran could complicate matters.

Looming large is the status of Taiwan, provided that China is displeased with US plans to sell weapons to the self-governing island that the Chinese government claims as a part of its territory.

The Trump administration has approved a £8.1 billion weapons package for Taiwan, but has yet to start fulfilling it.

Taiwan is the world’s leading chipmaker, producing components essential to the event of artificial intelligence. Trump has sought to bolster trade deals with Taiwan.

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