Xi holds welcome banquet for Trump

President Xi Jinping on Thursday held a state banquet at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing to welcome his US counterpart Donald Trump on his state visit to China. Addressing the banquet, Xi said the China-US relationship is the most important bilateral relationship in the world. "We must make it work, and never mess it up," Xi said, adding that both China and the United States stand to gain from cooperation and lose from confrontation. "Our two countries should be partners rather than rivals," he added. Xi also said that the two sides agreed to build a constructive China-US relationship of strategic stability, and bring more peace, prosperity and progress to the world. Trump for his part hailed the "extremely positive" talks. He also invited Xi and first lady Peng Liyuan to visit the White House on September 24. The leaders will take tea and lunch together on Friday before Trump departs. (Xinhua & agencies) Edited by Aaron Tam