Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for stronger cooperation between China and the United States, saying the two countries should be “partners rather than rivals.” He made the remarks after arriving in Washington on September 23 for a state visit at the invitation of U.S. President Donald Trump.

In written remarks released by China’s state news agency Xinhua, Mr. Xi said the Chinese and American peoples have a long history of friendly exchanges and that their interests are closely connected. He also said he looked forward to detailed discussions with Mr. Trump on bilateral relations and major global issues.

The meeting is expected to cover several sensitive areas, including trade, technology and artificial intelligence, Taiwan and broader geopolitical issues. Reuters reported that the leaders’ discussions come amid continuing tensions between the two countries, despite efforts to maintain dialogue and manage their economic relationship.

Xi said China and the U.S. should work toward a stable relationship based on cooperation, managed competition and controlled differences. He also said China’s national development goals and Trump’s “Make America Great Again” agenda could progress alongside each other.

The visit is Xi’s first trip to the United States in three years and comes as Washington and Beijing seek to manage their complex economic and strategic relationship.