Xi, Trump hold "very successful" meeting on ties, trade

Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) meets with his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Dec. 1, 2018. President Xi attended a working dinner with President Trump in Buenos Aires on Saturday. (Xinhua/Li Xueren)

BUENOS AIRES, Dec. 1 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump held a "very successful" meeting here Saturday and agreed to continue to maintain contact.

At the working dinner after the conclusion of the 13th Group of 20 summit, Xi and Trump had an in-depth exchange of views on China-U.S. relations and international affairs of mutual concern in a friendly and candid atmosphere, reaching important consensus and agreeing not to impose new additional tariffs.

The two sides agreed to expand cooperation based on reciprocity and mutual benefit and manage differences based on mutual respect so as to jointly advance China-U.S. relations with coordination, cooperation and stability as the defining features.

Xi pointed out that China and the United States shoulder important responsibilities in promoting world peace and prosperity.

Sound China-U.S. relations, Xi said, are in line with the fundamental interests of the two peoples and the general expectation of the international community.

Cooperation is the best option for the two countries, Xi said.

Xi called on both China and the United States to handle the development of bilateral relations from an overall perspective and push for long-term, healthy and stable development, delivering more and better benefits to the two nations and people around the world.

Trump said he agrees with Xi on his evaluation of bilateral relations.

U.S.-China relations are very special and important, Trump said, adding that it is in the interest of the two countries as well as the world that the United States and China, both countries of significant influence, maintain a good cooperative relationship.

The U.S. side, he added, is ready to increase cooperation with China through consultations and actively seek mutually beneficial solutions to their problems.

The two heads of state are willing to maintain exchanges in various forms to jointly chart the course of the development of China-U.S. relations.

They also pledged to hold further exchanges of visits at an appropriate time.

The two sides agreed to strengthen dialogue and cooperation in various areas and increase communication in education as well as cultural and people-to-people exchanges.

Trump said the U.S. side welcomes Chinese students to study in his country.

The two sides also agreed to take proactive steps to strengthen cooperation on law enforcement and combating illicit drugs, including the synthetic drug fentanyl. The measures adopted in this respect by China so far have been applauded by the international community including the United States. China has decided to list all the fentanyl-like substances as controlled substances and start working to adjust related regulations.

Xi stressed that the exchanges in trade and economy between China and the United States, the world's two largest economies, have been very and interdependent.

It is very normal that the two countries disagree on economy and trade, Xi said, adding that the key is that the two countries manage their differences properly and work out a solution acceptable to both in the spirit of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit.

The two heads of state had proactive and fruitful discussions on trade and economy. They reached consensus not to impose new additional tariffs and agreed to instruct the economic teams of the two sides to step up negotiations toward the removal of all additional tariffs and reach a concrete agreement that would result in win-win results.

The Chinese side said it will work to open its market, expand imports and resolve economy- and trade-related issues in China-U.S. relations in the process of a new round of reform and opening-up and in line with the needs of its domestic market and people.

It added that a concrete agreement featuring mutually beneficial and win-win results is the foundation and premise of any positive moves from the Chinese side directed toward the U.S. side.

The Chinese side also called on the two sides to make joint efforts to bring bilateral economic and trade relations back on the right track and realize cooperation for win-win results.

Xi reiterated China's stance on the Taiwan issue and the U.S. side pledged to continue to adhere to the one-China policy.

Xi and Trump also compared notes on the Korean Peninsula situation and other major international and regional affairs.

The Chinese side said China supports a second summit between the United States and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), and hopes the two sides could meet each other half way, address each other's legitimate concerns and advance the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in parallel with building a mechanism for peace on the peninsula.

The U.S. side said that in this respect, it appreciates China's positive role and hopes to maintain communication and coordination with China.