China's President Xi Jinping at White House: 'I came to deliver a message of friendship'

U.S. President Donald Trump met Thursday at the White House with China's President Xi Jinping, as part of a three-day state visit, Xi's first visit to the United States in over a decade, amid growing U.S.-China rivalry and Beijing's ties with Iran and the Houthis.

China's President said he came to the U.S. to 'deliver a message of friendship and expand cooperation,' and expressed willingness to work with Trump to 'navigate the ship of U.S.-China relations.' According to him, competition between the U.S. and China should be 'positive, with boundaries,' and the two countries' militaries should maintain ongoing dialogue.

Trump said that American and Chinese officials are working to promote more balanced trade relations between the two countries, including opening the Chinese market to American farmers and ranchers. Xi said that in a few days a pair of pandas will arrive at the Atlanta Zoo, and that he is planning to invite 100,000 young Americans to China as part of various delegations over the next five years.

One of the sensitive topics for the U.S. administration is China's ties with Iran and the Houthis. According to a Wall Street Journal report, Chinese companies were the largest source of goods seized en route to the Houthis, and most suppliers of components for their drones are located in China. According to another report in the newspaper, Chinese companies sent about 1,300 shipments of dual-use components to Iran's defense ministry during the first half of the year, including items that could be used in Iran's drone and missile programs.

Xi arrived in Washington for a state visit, the highest level of diplomatic visit, and Trump personally came to receive him at Andrews Air Force Base. The two met in Beijing in May of this year.