Trump praises ‘happy and beautiful’ children during crucial China summit

WorldPolitics
14 May 2026 • 5:03 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

Trump praises ‘happy and beautiful’ children during crucial China summit

Donald Trump praised “happy and beautiful” children during a bilateral meeting hosted by Xi Jinping in China on Thursday (14 May).

The US president was visibly impressed as he was welcomed that morning with a military parade, red carpets, and ranks of cheering children outside the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

Trump called the two-day summit “an honor like few have ever seen before,” saying of the cheering children: “They were happy. They were beautiful.”

Trump also praised China’s military display and added, “Those children were amazing, and they represent so much.”

Trump and Xi are touring the historic Temple of Heaven, a 15th-century complex, in the afternoon before attending a state banquet later on Thursday.

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