Xi Jinping's Toast To Trump At Banquet: Lets 'Never Mess Up' China-US Relationship

Last Updated:May 14, 2026, 16:19 IST

Xi Jinping emphasizsed that both governments shared the belief that stable ties between the world’s two largest economies were critical.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping hailed the US-China relationship as the world’s most consequential during a state banquet for US President Donald Trump, warning both sides that they must “make it work and never mess it up". Speaking at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People after high-level talks with Trump, Xi Jinping struck a conciliatory but cautionary tone, portraying cooperation between the world’s two largest economies as essential for global stability.

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“Both China and the United States stand to gain from cooperation and lose from confrontation. Our two countries should be partners rather than rivals," Xi Jinping said during his opening toast. The remarks came as Washington and Beijing seek to stabilize ties strained by years of trade disputes, technology restrictions and disagreements over Taiwan.

Xi Jinping Uses Trump Catchphrases

Xi Jinping opened his speech with unusually warm language, directly invoking one of Trump’s most recognizable political slogans in an apparent attempt to connect the ambitions of both nations.

“The people of China and the United States are both great peoples. Achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and making America great again can go hand in hand," Xi Jinping told guests at the banquet.

Read more: Trump’s China Gamble: Can US President Pull Off What Nixon Never Could?

The phrase “great rejuvenation" has long been central to Xi Jinping’s political vision for China, while “Make America Great Again" remains the defining slogan of Trump’s political movement. Xi Jinping suggested the goals were not mutually exclusive, saying the two countries could “help each other succeed and advance the wellbeing of the whole world."

Historic Summit Overshadowed By Taiwan Concerns

Earlier in the meetings, Xi Jinping warned Trump that Taiwan remained “the most important issue in China-US relations" and cautioned that mishandling the matter could create a “very dangerous situation." Beijing views the self-governed island as part of its territory and has repeatedly opposed US military and political support for Taipei. Washington, meanwhile, maintains unofficial ties with Taiwan and continues to supply it with defensive weapons. The issue remains one of the most sensitive flashpoints in the bilateral relationship.

Read more: US Vs China: As Trump And Xi Meet, A Look At How The Superpowers Compare

Mutual Respect Central To Stability, Xi Jinping Says

Xi Jinping repeatedly emphasized that “mutual respect" would determine whether relations between the two countries could move forward steadily.

“The world is changing and turbulent," he said, adding that the US-China relationship affects not only the 1.7 billion people living in both nations, but also “more than 8 billion people who live in the world." He said both sides should “rise" to that responsibility, framing stable ties between Beijing and Washington as critical to global peace, prosperity and progress.

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