BEIJING ¨C Xi Jinping called Bill Gates ¡°an old friend¡± and said he hoped they could carry out activities together beneficial to both China and the United States, in the Chinese president¡¯s first meeting with a foreign entrepreneur in years.
In a meeting at Beijing¡¯s Diaoyutai state guesthouse, where China¡¯s leaders have historically received senior foreign guests, Xi told the Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist that he was very happy to see him after three years and described Gates as the first American friend he had met this year.
¡°I often say the foundation of U.S.-China relations lies with its people. I place my hopes on the American people,¡± a video published by state broadcaster CCTV showed Xi as saying.
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