Chinese President Xi Jinping met with American businessman Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft, today in Beijing. According to official media, President Xi told Gates that "the foundation of Chinese-American relations is in the hands of the two peoples," and he hopes for a lasting friendship between the two countries.
The People's Daily reported that Xi described Gates as the first "American friend" he met in Beijing this year, indicating that "China wishes to enhance cooperation with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation." Xi added, "I often say that the foundation of relations between the United States and China is in the hands of their peoples. I place my hopes on the American people, and under the current global situation, we can engage in various activities that benefit our countries and peoples, as well as all of humanity."
In turn, Gates remarked, "It is an honor for me to meet Xi; we had wonderful conversations, and we will discuss many important topics today. I was greatly disappointed that I could not attend in the past four years, so I am very excited to be back."
Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported that on June 16, the president met with Gates, head of the Gates Foundation. This visit marks Gates' first trip to China in four years. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation announced on Thursday that it will donate $50 million to support China's efforts to combat malaria and tuberculosis.
