Trump presents Xi with bald eagle statue at White House state dinner

President Donald Trump hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping at a White House state dinner on Thursday, asserting that US-China relations have "never gotten along better" despite acknowledged differences between the two nations. Trump recalled his visit to Beijing and praised Chinese hospitality, while presenting Xi with a three-foot-tall bald eagle statue designed by an American artist in collaboration with Trump and First Lady Melania Trump. The president called the eagle a symbol of America's "free and soaring spirit." The gift was accompanied by Trump's hope that the statue would be displayed prominently in Beijing. The dinner marked Xi's first return to Washington in over a decade, with Trump emphasizing the importance of building a relationship promoting prosperity and security for future generations.