BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese President Xi Jinping hopes China and the United States will be able to promote a steady and healthy relationship, Chinese state media reported on Thursday, as the world's two largest economies engage in a bitter trade dispute.
In a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump, Xi also said he and Trump hoped to expand bilateral trade cooperation, Xi was quoted as saying on CCTV state television.
"The two countries' trade teams should strengthen contact and conduct consultations on issues of concern to both sides, and promote a plan that both can accept to reach a consensus on the China-U.S. trade issue," Xi said.
The Chinese president was also quoted as saying that he was willing to meet Trump in Argentina during the G-20 summit.
Xi's comments came after Trump said in a tweet that trade discussions with China were "moving along nicely" and that he planned to meet Xi at the upcoming G-20 summit, after the two had a "very good" talk.
China and the United States are locked in a trade war, and both countries have already placed tariffs on some of each others' imports.
During Thursday's phone call, Xi also said he hoped the United States and North Korea will push for denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula to ensure regional stability.
(Reporting by Brenda Goh in Shanghai, Yawen Chan and Michael Martina in Beijing; Writing by Lee Chyen Yee; editing by David Stamp)