Trump departs China after 2-day summit with Xi, lauds progress in ties

US President Donald Trump departed China on Friday after holding two days of talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in critical meetings between the leaders of the world's two largest economies.

Trump boarded Air Force One at Beijing Capital Airport after a formal tea gathering and lunch on their final day together before the US president departed the Chinese leader's official residence, known as Zhongnanhai.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi saw Trump off at the airport, where soldiers stood in formation in front of Air Force One as students waved the flags of both countries during the departure ceremony.

Speaking to reporters earlier as he sat down with Xi for tea, Trump praised his relationship with the Chinese president, calling it "a very strong one," and said they both agreed that they do not want Iran "to have a nuclear weapon. We want the straits open."

"We want them to get it ended because it’s a crazy thing there, a little bit crazy. And it’s no good, it can’t happen," he said.

Welcoming Trump, Xi explained the historical significance of the Zhongnanhai Palace, noting that it had served as the residence of many of his predecessors. He also recalled Trump's reception for him at the Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida in 2017.

"I've chosen this place especially to reciprocate the hospitality extended to me," said the Chinese president.

Trump's visit to China comes amid the ongoing Middle East conflict triggered after US and Israeli forces launched strikes against Iran on Feb. 28, prompting Tehran’s retaliation against Israel and US allies in the Gulf, along with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. An indefinite ceasefire is currently in effect.

China has reiterated calls for dialogue in the region, while Washington has accused Beijing of supporting Iran’s military and economic capabilities.

Trump arrived in Beijing on Wednesday evening local time for the visit, which had originally been scheduled for late March but was delayed due to the Iran war.

The trip marked the first visit to China by a sitting US president in nine years. Trump last traveled to Beijing in 2017 during his first term in office.