Chinese President Xi Jinping said his first visit to the United States in more than a decade is aimed at promoting friendship and expanding cooperation between the two countries.

Axar.az reports, citing CNN, that Xi made the remarks at the White House after arriving in Washington at the invitation of US President Donald Trump.

“I am visiting the United States at President Trump’s invitation to carry on our friendship, expand cooperation, and promote the well-being of both our peoples,” Xi said.

“Facing the changes in our world, in our times, and of historical significance today, China and United States, as two major countries, shoulder a historic responsibility of advancing human development and progress,” he added.

Xi said he was ready to work with Trump to “steer the giant ship of China-US relationship on a steady course toward the future.”

“The interests of China and the United States are deeply intertwined, and there is plenty of room for us to work together. China-US cooperation may not solve every problem in the world, but without our cooperation, it would be hard to solve many of the world’s problems,” Xi said.