US president says he and his Chinese counterpart have ‘known each other for a long time’ and Xi is ‘great leader’

• Trump in Beijing – latest updates

• Five key issues for Xi-Trump summit

The US president, Donald Trump, has met China’s leader, Xi Jinping, for a momentous summit that will pack negotiations on global conflict, international trade and the future of artificial intelligence into just over 24 hours.

Trump arrived at the Great Hall of the People, an imposing Mao-era building that borders the western edge of Tiananmen Square, on Thursday morning for an opening ceremony followed by an hour of face to face talks with Xi.