Xi, Trump visit Temple of Heaven

BEIJING -- President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump visited the Temple of Heaven on Thursday in Beijing.

Xi greeted Trump outside the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. The leaders had a photo taken in front of the Hall and took a tour of the Hall.

During their visit, Xi explained to Trump that in ancient times, state rituals were held at the Temple of Heaven, where then Chinese rulers prayed for national prosperity, social harmony, and favorable weather for good harvests.

"It reflects the traditional Chinese concept that the people are the foundation of a state and only when the foundation is solid will the state be stable," Xi said.

The Communist Party of China has inherited and carried forward this people-centered philosophy rooted in the Chinese civilization, Xi said.

By upholding its fundamental commitment to serving the people wholeheartedly, the Party has earned the firm support of the Chinese people, he added.

Trump said he was impressed by the more than 600-year-old Temple of Heaven. He said the United States and China are both great countries, and that both peoples are wise and great.

He added that the two countries should deepen mutual understanding and strengthen friendship between their peoples.