Sino-US ties at 'vital stage', president says

Xi, Trump exchange messages, voice hopes on future growth of relations

Relations between China and the United States are "at a vital stage", said President Xi Jinping in describing the current bilateral ties after 40 years of development.

As Tuesday marked the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Beijing and Washington, both Xi and his US counterpart Donald Trump hailed the tremendous progress that China-US relations have made over the past four decades as they exchanged congratulations on the event.