US Presient Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping gave opening remarks at the top of their bilateral meeting after they participated in an elaborate arrival ceremony.

Axar.az reports, citing NBC news, Xi said the two countries "should be partners, not rivals," while Trump said the U.S. delegation looked forward to discussing "reciprocal" trade.

“We’ve had a fantastic relationship, we’ve gotten along when there were difficulties, we worked it out,” Trump said. “I would call you, and you would call me, and whenever we had a problem, people don’t know whenever we had a problem, we worked it out very quickly.”

Today’s meeting between Trump and Xi ended after about two hours and 15 minutes.

Xi began the talks with Trump by emphasizing that the world is watching and is “at a new crossroads.” He sat directly across from Trump at the center of a long oval table, lined with officials on both sides.

The question now, Xi said, is “whether China and the United States can transcend the so-called Thucydides Trap and pioneer a new paradigm of major-country relations,” referring to a term that describes the tendency toward conflict when an emerging power threatens an existing power.

“We should be partners, not rivals, achieve success for one another, prosper together and forge a correct way for major countries of the new era to get along with each other,” Xi added.

Trump hailed their “fantastic relationship” and said he had “such respect” for Xi and China, praising him as a “great leader.” He added that the U.S. delegation looked forward to discussing reciprocal trade, and that it was an “honor” to be there.

US President Donald Trump is in Beijing for a highly anticipated two-day summit.