Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Thursday that he expects 2026 to be a "historic, landmark year" that opens up a new chapter in China-U.S. relations.

China and the United States have more common interests than differences, and the two countries must jointly answer the questions of the times, Xi said when holding talks with visiting U.S. President Donald Trump in Beijing.

"Dear President Trump, it is a great pleasure to meet with you here in Beijing. This is your second visit to China in nine years. Our meeting today is drawing worldwide attention. At present, the transformation not seen in a century is accelerating across the globe, and the international situation is fluid and turbulent. The world has come to another crossroads. Can China and the United States overcome the so-called Thucydides Trap and create a new paradigm of major-country relations?

Can we meet global challenges together and provide greater stability for the world? Can we build a bright future together for our bilateral relations in the interest of the well-being of the two peoples and the future of humanity? These are the questions vital to history, to the world and to the people. They are the questions of our times that we, as the leaders of major countries, need to answer together," Xi said.

"This year marks the 250th anniversary of the United States' independence. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to you and the American people. I have always believed that China and the United States have more common interests than differences. Success in one is an opportunity for the other, and a stable bilateral relationship is good for the world. When our two sides cooperate, both benefit; when we confront each other, both suffer. China and the United States should be partners instead of rivals, helping each other succeed and prosper together, and finding the right way for major countries to get along well with each other in the new era.

I look forward to our discussions on major issues important to our two countries and the world, and working together with you to set the course and steer the giant ship of China-U.S. relations, so as to make 2026 a historic, landmark year that opens up a new chapter in China-U.S. relations," he said.

At the invitation of Xi, Trump is on a state visit to China from Wednesday to Friday. This is the first U.S. presidential visit to China in almost nine years, after President Xi previously hosted Trump in Beijing in November 2017.