Trump Xi summit: Donald Trump on Friday sought to reinterpret comments made by his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping about the United States allegedly being in decline, arguing that the Chinese leader was referring specifically to the period under former President Joe Biden rather than America under his own administration.

Posting on Truth Social ahead of the second day of his summit with Xi in Beijing, Trump defended America's current global position while once again criticizing Biden's presidency. 'When President Xi very elegantly referred to the United States as perhaps being a declining nation, he was pointing to the tremendous damage inflicted during the four years of Sleepy Joe Biden and the Biden administration, and on that score, he was 100% correct,' Trump wrote.

Xi's Taiwan Warning Overshadowed Summit

It remains unclear whether Trump was referring to private discussions with Xi or public remarks made during the summit.

During Thursday's opening meetings in Beijing, Xi did not publicly describe the United States as a 'declining nation.' However, he strongly warned Washington against mishandling the Taiwan issue, calling it the most sensitive point in US-China relations.

Xi also referenced the 'Thucydides Trap,' a geopolitical theory suggesting that conflict can arise when a rising power challenges an established global power. The concept was popularised by Harvard academic Graham Allison and traces back to the writings of ancient Greek historian Thucydides.

According to Chinese accounts of the meeting, Xi warned that disagreement over Taiwan could push bilateral relations toward 'clashes and even conflicts.'

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Trump Highlights Economic Gains and Military Strength

Soon after Trump's social media post, the White House amplified his remarks and repeated criticism of the Biden administration. Trump argued that the United States had experienced what he called an 'incredible rise' during the first 16 months of his presidency. He pointed to strong stock market performance, job growth, foreign investment, military capabilities, and global influence as proof of America's resurgence.

In his lengthy statement, Trump claimed Xi had praised several of his administration's achievements and insisted the Chinese leader was not referring to his presidency when discussing American decline. 'Two years ago, we were, in fact, a nation in decline. But now, the United States is the hottest nation anywhere in the world,' Trump wrote.