"You're a Great Leader": Watch Trump's Opening Speech to Xi Jinping in Beijing

[0:01] All right, we can begin. [0:05] I will first make a brief address and then I will invite Mr. President to make a speech [0:09] as well. [0:12] Respected President Trump, I am very pleased to meet with you in Beijing. [0:17] This is your second visit to China after an interval of nine years. [0:25] Our meeting can now be said to have attracted worldwide attention. [0:29] At present, changes unseen in a century are accelerating, and the international situation [0:36] is marked by intertwined turbulence and transformation. [0:44] The world has arrived at a new crossroads. [0:47] Whether China and the United States can transcend the so-called Thucydides trap and create a new [0:53] normalization of relations between major powers, whether we can join hands to address global [1:00] challenges and inject greater stability into the world, whether we can advance the well-being [1:10] of the peoples of our two countries and the future destiny of humanity, and jointly create [1:16] a better future for bilateral relations. [1:20] These can be said to be questions of history, questions of the world, and questions of the [1:25] people. [1:30] They are also the answers of our era that you and I, as leaders of major powers, need to [1:35] write together. [1:37] This year marks the 250th anniversary of American independence. [1:46] I extend my congratulations to you and to the American people. [1:51] I have always believed that the common interests between China and the United States outweigh our [1:56] differences. [2:01] The success of China and the United States is an opportunity for each other. [2:06] When stable China-U.S. relations are beneficial to the world, when the two sides cooperate, [2:13] both benefit. [2:15] When they fight, both suffer. [2:18] We should be partners rather than opponents, achieve success for one another, prosper together, [2:25] and forge a correct path for major powers to get along with each other in the new era. [2:34] I look forward to exchanging views with Mr. President on major issues concerning our two [2:39] countries and the world, and together steering the great ship of China-U.S. relations in the [2:45] right direction, keeping it firmly on course, and making 2026 a historic and landmark year [2:53] that carries China-U.S. relations forward into the future. [2:59] That is all I will say for now. [3:02] I invite Mr. President to speak. [3:06] Well, President Xi, I want to thank you very much. [3:15] First of all, that was an honor like few have ever seen before. [3:22] And I think I was particularly impressed by those children. [3:25] They were happy. [3:26] They were beautiful. [3:28] The military is obvious. [3:30] It couldn't be better. [3:31] But those children were amazing, and they represent so much. [3:34] And I know they represent so much to you. [3:38] You and I have known each other now for a long time. [3:40] In fact, the longest relationship of our two countries that any president and president [3:47] has had. [3:48] And that's, to me, an honor. [3:51] We've had a fantastic relationship. [3:53] We've gotten along. [3:54] When there were difficulties, we worked it out. [3:57] I would call you, and you would call me. [3:59] Whenever we had a problem, people don't know, whenever we had a problem, we worked it out [4:03] very quickly. [4:05] We're going to have a fantastic future together. [4:10] Such respect for China, the job you've done. [4:13] You're a great leader. [4:14] I say it to everybody, you're a great leader. [4:17] Sometimes people don't like me saying it, but I say it anyway because it's true. [4:20] I only say the truth. [4:22] And I just want to say, on behalf of all of the great delegation that we have, we have [4:27] the greatest businessmen, the biggest, and I guess the best in the world. [4:31] We have amazing people, and they're all with me. [4:34] Every single one of them. [4:36] We asked the top 30 in the world. [4:39] Every single one of them said yes. [4:41] And I didn't want the second or the third in the company. [4:44] I wanted only the top. [4:45] And they're here today to pay respects to you and to China. [4:49] And they look forward to trade and doing business, and it's going to be totally reciprocal on [4:55] our behalf. [4:56] So I really look very much forward to our discussion. [4:59] It's a big discussion. [5:00] There are those that say this is maybe the biggest summit ever. [5:04] They can never remember anything like it. [5:05] It's, I can say, in the United States, it's people aren't talking about anything else. [5:11] But it's an honor to be with you. [5:13] It's an honor to be your friend. [5:15] And the relationship between China and the USA is going to be better than ever before. [5:20] Thank you very much. [5:22] Thank you.