‘Don’t always see eye to eye’: Donald Trump-Xi Jinping meet in South Korea – top quotes

US President Donald Trump met Chinese leader Xi Jinping in South Korea on Thursday in a bid to stabilise relations between the world’s two largest economies after months of trade tension. The meeting took place at a military base in Busan, with both leaders exchanging warm greetings on the red carpet.“Good to see you again,” Trump said as he shook Xi’s hand in front of American and Chinese flags. “We’re going to have a very successful meeting, I have no doubt,” he added, calling Xi “a very tough negotiator” but saying the two “know each other well”. Asked whether a trade deal could be signed, Trump replied: “Could be. We’ll have a great understanding. We have a great relationship, we’ve always had a great relationship.”Xi, speaking through a translator, struck a conciliatory tone, saying that while the US and China “do not always see eye to eye, this is normal”, adding that it was “normal for economies to have frictions”. He emphasised that the two nations “should be partners and friends” and that China’s development “goes hand in hand with the vision to make America great again”.Trump, who has recently threatened new tariffs on Chinese goods, suggested earlier that he might reduce them due to Beijing’s cooperation on fentanyl. He described the meeting as the “G2,” reflecting both nations’ global economic stature.The encounter came as officials from both sides worked on a preliminary trade framework, offering cautious optimism that the rivals might temporarily cool tensions.