Sino-US ties at 'new historic starting point'

President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump speak to reporters at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Thursday. XU JINGXING / CHINA DAILY

Trump says meeting with Xi was 'absolutely terrific', as they discuss issues ranging from Korean Peninsula to bilateral trade

President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump struck an upbeat, cooperative tone on Thursday on many key bilateral and regional issues, including the Korean Peninsula and trade.

China continued its "state visit-plus" reception for the US leader on Thursday, with a lavish welcoming ceremony featuring special arrangements, including the performance of US military music and the participation of 10 US students in the welcoming party, which normally consists of Chinese students.

Traditional Chinese musical instruments were on display at the Great Hall of the People, and live broadcasts were arranged, a rare occurrence for a welcoming ceremony and talks.

A meeting between the two leaders and their top advisers exceeded the originally scheduled one hour. Trump said that "our meeting this morning in front of your representatives and our representatives was excellent".

Addressing the media, Xi said that he and Trump had achieved a new consensus, and their meetings had been constructive and yielded fruitful results.

Xi affirmed China's commitment to reform and opening-up, saying that China will increase common interests with other countries and boost coordination between major countries.

The two sides should resolve problems and contradictions in economic ties through jointly boosting the overall scale of Sino-US economic cooperation in a visionary and constructive way, Xi said.

Sino-US relations are "at a new historic starting point", and cooperation is "the only correct choice" for the two countries, Xi said in his opening remarks at the extended meeting.

China is willing to focus on cooperation and control disagreement with the US, to benefit the people of both sides as well as the whole world, he said.

Trump expressed gratitude for the warm reception from the Chinese president, saying that his meeting with Xi on Wednesday night was "absolutely terrific".

"There can be no more important subject than China-US relations," Trump said.