Before the meeting, President Trump posed for a photo with President Xi, expressing confidence that they would have a “very successful meeting.” The US leader said the two sides could sign a trade deal on Thursday and hoped the two countries would build a strong long-term relationship.

In his opening remarks, President Xi said it was inevitable that China and the United States would experience some frictions. However, he added that in the face of storms and challenges, he and President Trump needed to “stay on the right course, navigate through the complex landscape, and ensure the steady sailing forward of the giant ship of China-US relations.”

The talks marked the final stop of Mr. Trump’s five-day visit to three Asian countries before returning to the United States. It was also the first in-person meeting between the two leaders since their encounter on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Osaka, Japan, in June 2019.