Trump softens stance on China after meeting Xi

US: US President Donald Trump ditched his trademark anti-China bombast, hailing an "outstanding" relationship with counterpart Xi Jinping at the end of a superpower summit on Friday overshadowed by events in Syria.

"We have made tremendous progress in our relationship with China," Mr Trump said effusively at the close of a high-stakes but studiously familiar first meeting between the pair at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. "I think truly progress



has been made," Mr Trump said, declaring his relationship with Mr Xi as "outstanding".

The friendly tone was a far cry from Mr Trump's acerbic campaign denouncements about China's "rape" of the US economy and his vow to punish Beijing with punitive tariffs.

Mr Xi also reciprocated Mr Trump's words, saying the summit had "uniquely important significance". He also invited Mr Trump on a coveted state visit to China later this year.