Xi Tells Bill Gates He Hopes Friendship Between Chinese and Americans Will Continue

What’s new: President Xi Jinping met with Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates in Beijing on Friday, calling the philanthropist a “friend” as the leader expressed hope for friendship between the Chinese and American peoples to continue.

“The foundation of China-U.S. relations lies in the people, and we have always placed hope on the American people,” Xi said in a foreign ministry statement. Addressing Gates as “the first American friend” he has met in Beijing this year, Xi also urged people to travel and communicate more to improve understanding.