US Politics
Watch live: Trump joins lavish state banquet with China’s Xi during high-stakes visit
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Watch live as Donald Trump joins a lavish state banquet in Beijing’s Hall of the People with Chinese president Xi Jinping, bringing to an end the first day of his high-stakes state visit to China.
It is expected to be a majestic affair, with the US president joined by his entourage of billionaires, including Elon Musk.
The menu has not been unveiled ahead of time, but the last time Trump attended a state banquet in Beijing, the food options ranged from hors d’Oeuvres, coconut-flavoured chicken soup, seafood chowder, to kung pao chicken.
The banquet comes after the Chinese leader warned Trump that tensions over Taiwan could lead to an “extremely dangerous situation” in an ominous threat.
“If handled poorly, the two countries could collide or even enter into conflict,” Xi said.
The remarks were in stark contrast to the pair’s televised opening statements, where Trump told Xi “it’s an honour to be your friend” and Xi said the US and China should be “partners, not rivals”.