President Donald Trump on Thursday welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping to the White House, marking the first time the pair had met at the presidential office.

"President Xi, Madame Peng, and the members of the Chinese delegation, I am delighted to welcome you to the beautiful White House," Trump said. He then thanked Xi for hosting him in China earlier this year.

Trump also noted that the visit made Xi the first Chinese leader to formally visit the U.S. twice. The president then expressed admiration for China and the hope for productive negotiations.

The event also saw Trump invoke Chinese-American cooperation in World War II, explaining that Americans had embraced the phrase "gung ho" from that experience.

Ben Whedon is the Chief Political Correspondent for Just the News. Follow him on X.