Xi, Trump discuss China-US ties

Chinese President Xi Jinping called up President-elect Donald Trump on Monday to congratulate him on his election and discussed bilateral relations.

Congratulating Trump on his election as US President, Xi expressed his willingness to work with him, Xinhua news agency reported.

Since the two countries established formal ties 37 years ago, bilateral relations have been continuously progressing, bringing tangible benefits to the two peoples and promoting world and regional peace, stability and prosperity, Xi said.

Facts have shown that cooperation is the only correct choice for the two countries, he said.

As China-US cooperation faces important opportunities and has huge potential, the two countries need to strengthen coordination, advance their respective economic development and global economic growth and expand exchanges and cooperation in various fields, the two leaders felt.

This will bring more benefit to the two peoples and promote the smooth development of China-US relations, said the Chinese president.

As the biggest developing country and the biggest developed country, respectively, and as the top two economies of the world, there are many things in which China and the US can and should cooperate, Xi said.

"I attach great importance to China-US relations and am ready to work with the US side to carry forward bilateral ties and to better benefit the two peoples and the rest of the world," he told Trump.

For his part, Trump thanked Xi for the best wishes and said he agreed with Xi on his views about US-China relations.

China is a great and important country with eye-catching development prospects, said Trump. The US and China can achieve win-win results featuring mutual benefits, he added.

Trump voiced his readiness to work with Xi to strengthen US-China cooperation and expressed his belief that US-China relations will witness even greater development.

Xi and Trump also agreed to maintain close contact, establish a good working relationship and meet at an early date to exchange views on bilateral ties and other issues of common concern.

--IANS

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