An off-the-cuff exchange between President Trump and China’s leader, Xi Jinping, on Friday provided a glimpse into how the two leaders interacted this week as they negotiated the rivalry between their countries.
Mr. Xi, who is rarely shown in Chinese media without prepared remarks, is seen chatting with Mr. Trump through translators as they walk through Zhongnanhai, a walled compound that houses China’s leaders. He puts his hand out to guide Mr. Trump through an archway, pointing to a step to make sure the president does not trip.
The Chinese leader stops the tour to point out a tree that is more than 100 years old, noting that it is actually two trees that have merged together, a possible allusion to Mr. Xi’s calls for the two countries to work together.
Mr. Trump stops the tour to ask if Mr. Xi often brings foreign leaders to Zhongnanhai. “Very rarely,” says Mr. Xi, shaking his head for emphasis.
He points to Mr. Trump and says, with a chuckle, “For example, Putin has been here,” referring to President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, a closer partner of Beijing’s, whom Mr. Trump has publicly admired. (When Mr. Putin visited China in 2024, for example, he and Mr. Xi had tea in the gardens of Zhongnanhai and spent hours there.)
Mr. Xi, who likes to emphasize China’s long history, points out various other ancient trees in the garden as Mr. Trump walks behind.
At the end of the tour, Mr. Trump gestures to the trees around him and tells Mr. Xi how much he likes the elite compound. “I could get used to this,” he says. It was one of the few unscripted moments during the two leaders’ highly choreographed summit.
