Trump aims for ‘fantastic relationship’ during meeting with Xi in South Korea (VIDEO)

US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in Busan, South Korea, on Thursday. The summit comes amid rising tensions in the Indo-Pacific and an ongoing tariff dispute between the two superpowers.

At the start of the meeting, Trump called Xi “a friend of mine” and described him as “very distinguished and respected.” 

“President Xi is a great leader of a great country. I think we will have a fantastic relationship for a long period of time,” Trump said.

Xi said that despite their differences, bilateral relations have remained “stable.”

“We do not always see eye to eye, and it is normal for the two leading economies of the world to have friction now and then,” Xi told Trump through an interpreter.

“I have always believed that China’s development goes hand in hand with your vision to make America great again,” he added.

While shaking Xi’s hand in front of reporters, Trump quipped, “He’s a very tough negotiator. That’s not good.”

Earlier on Thursday, Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform that he had instructed the Pentagon to restart nuclear weapons tests “on an equal basis” with Russia and China.

As part of his Asia tour, Trump visited Japan, where he met for the first time with the country’s new prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, and signed a deal aimed at countering China’s dominance in the rare-earth and critical minerals market.