Trump invokes centuries of history in Beijing meet with Xi
US President Donald Trump leaned heavily on history and symbolism during a lavish state banquet in Beijing on Thursday, portraying ties between the United States and Xi Jinping as a relationship rooted in centuries of shared admiration and exchange.
Speaking at the Great Hall of the People following talks with Xi, Trump described Sino-American relations as “one of the most consequential relationships in world history” and repeatedly referenced historical links between the two powers dating back to the era of the American Revolution.
Trump recounted how American founding father Benjamin Franklin had once published the sayings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius in his newspaper, while also noting that the ancient sage is depicted among famous lawgivers carved into the walls of the US Supreme Court.
He also highlighted how Chinese admirers of George Washington donated a commemorative tablet now displayed inside the Washington Monument, using the examples to frame the relationship as one built on “commerce and respect” stretching back 250 years.
The historical references formed part of a carefully choreographed evening aimed at projecting warmth between the world’s two largest economies despite persistent geopolitical tensions.
Trump later invited Xi and Chinese First Lady Peng Liyuan to Washington for a state visit on Sept. 24, which would mark Xi’s first trip to the White House in more than a decade.
The two leaders also exchanged unusually warm rhetoric during the banquet, with Xi saying China and the US should be “partners rather than rivals”.
“Achieving the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and making America great again can go hand in hand,” Xi said.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
