New Delhi [India], February 14 : In a joint press conference with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Donald Trump expressed optimism about future relations with China while acknowledging past tensions, particularly in the wake of COVID-19.
In reply to a question by ANI, Trump addressed ongoing global conflicts, including the India-China border tensions and the war in Ukraine, emphasizing the need for de-escalation.
Trump said, "I think we're going to have a very good relationship with China. I got along with President Xi very well until COVID. That was a bridge too far. But until then, I got along with President Xi very, very well. We were very close, as leaders go."
On India-China border skirmishes, Trump acknowledged their intensity and offered to mediate if necessary. He said, "I look at India, I do see the skirmishes on the border, which are quite vicious, and I guess they continue to go on. If I could be of help, I'd love to help, because that should be stopped."
He said China can play an important role in ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict, "I don't want to be naive, but as leaders go, I think we were very close. And I think that China is a very important player in the world. I think they can help us get this war over with Ukraine and Russia."
Trump also underscored the importance of diplomatic cooperation among major global powers.
"That's been going on for a long time. I would hope that China and India and Russia and the US and all of us can get along. It's very important," Trump added.
Trump highlighted the massive military spending by major global powers, noting that the US is set to spend around USD 915 billion on defence, while Russia (before the war) spent nearly USD 100 billion, and China is currently spending between USD 400-450 billion.
He questioned the logic behind such high expenditures, suggesting that instead of competing militarily, countries could use these resources for more constructive purposes if they had better relations.
Warning about the dangers of modern weaponry, particularly nuclear arms, Trump said, "You know, the power of weaponry today is, and not only nuclear but nuclear in particular, the power of weaponry is very important."
Addressing the issue of denuclearization, Trump revealed past discussions with President Xi. He said, "I did speak to President Xi about that, and I was getting also a very good response. He's building a very strong nuclear power. He's not very close to Russia or the United States right now, but he will be soon. I mean, he'll catch up over the period of four or five years".
He announced the plan to meet with both Chinese and Russian leaders to explore avenues for military de-escalation, particularly concerning nuclear arms.
He stated, "I'm going to meet with China and I'm going to meet with Russia, and we're going to see if we can de-escalate it, if we can bring it down. military, especially as it pertains to nuclear."
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