NNA – Chinese leader Xi Jinping told his quot;old friendquot; Bill Gates on Friday that China had always placed its hopes in the American people, after the Microsoft co-founder#39;s foundation pledged $50 million to help Chinese efforts to battle disease.
Gates — one of the world#39;s richest men — is the latest in a string of Western business leaders to visit China since the country ended strict Covid controls that largely closed it off from the world for almost three years.
The visit is Gates#39; first to China in four years, and included a rare sit-down between the Chinese head of state and a foreign business leader.
quot;You are the first American friend I have met in Beijing this year,quot; Xi told Gates in Beijing, according to the state-run People#39;s Daily.nbsp;
quot;We have always placed our hopes on the American people, and hoped for continued friendship between the peoples of the two countries,quot; Xi added.
Gates, in turn, said he was quot;very honoured to have this chance to meetquot;, according to a recording of the meeting shared by state broadcaster CCTV.
quot;We#39;ve always had great conversations and we#39;ll have a lot of important topics to discuss today,quot; he said.
quot;I was very disappointed I couldn#39;t come during these last four years, and so it#39;s very exciting to be back.quot;
A state media readout also quoted Gates as praising China#39;s efforts in quot;tackling the Covid-19 pandemic, setting a good example for the worldquot;.–AFP
nbsp;
nbsp;
nbsp;
==============R.H.