Xi says China, US should keep up momentum in ties, move forward in right direction

BEIJING -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Monday that China and the United States should keep up the momentum in ties, and keep moving forward in the right direction on the basis of equality, respect and mutual benefit.

Xi made the remarks while speaking with US President Donald Trump on the phone.

Xi noted that he and Trump had a successful meeting in Busan last month, and reached many important common understandings.

They recalibrated the course of the giant ship of China-US relations and provided more momentum for it to sail forward steadily, thus sending a positive message to the world, he said.

Since then, the China-US relationship has generally maintained a steady and positive trajectory, and this is welcomed by the two countries and the broader international community, Xi said.

What has happened demonstrates yet again that the description of China-US cooperation benefiting both sides and confrontation hurting both sides reflects a common sense that has been repeatedly proven by experience, and the vision of China and the United States helping each other succeed and prosper together is a tangible prospect within reach, Xi said.

He said that the two sides should lengthen the list of cooperation and shorten the list of problems, so as to make more positive progress, create new space for China-US cooperation and bring more benefits to the people of both countries and the world.

Xi outlined China's principled position on the Taiwan question, underscoring that Taiwan's return to China is an integral part of the post-war international order.

Noting that China and the United States fought shoulder to shoulder against fascism and militarism, Xi said that given what is going on, it is even more important for the two sides to jointly safeguard the victory of World War II (WWII).

Trump noted that President Xi is a great leader, adding that he very much enjoyed his meeting with Xi in Busan, and fully shares Xi's comments about the two countries' relationship. He added that the two sides are implementing all elements of what the two leaders agreed to in Busan.

China was a big part of the victory of WWII, said Trump, stressing that the United States understands how important the Taiwan question is to China.

The two presidents also discussed the Ukraine crisis. Xi emphasized China's support for all efforts that are conducive to peace, and expressed the hope that the various sides would narrow their differences, reach a fair, lasting and binding peace agreement at an early date, and resolve the crisis at its root.