Xi takes Trump on tour of Communist Party's seat of power as China visit ends

Key developments are emerging from the global stage. Xi takes Trump on tour of Communist Party's seat of power in Beijing18 minutes ago Share Save Add as preferred on GoogleKoh EweandLaura Bicker ,China correspondentGetty ImagesZhongnanhai, a 14th Century compound, serves as the official residence of China's leadershipUS President Donald Trump's visit to Beijing ended with a tour of Zhongnanhai, the exclusive, heavily guarded 14th Century compound where top Chinese leaders live and work. Xi leading him on the tour was yet another moment for the cameras in a two-day trip heavy on pageantry but scant on details about policy agreed by both sides. The much-anticipated summit between the superpowers follows tensions over trade and the Iran war, but both leaders seemed conciliatory, with Trump calling his visit "incredible".

Xi described it as a "new bilateral relationship" and promised to send Trump seeds of the Chinese roses they admired during their stroll, to which Trump replied: "I love that, it's great. "Zhongnanhai, located about 20km east of Tiananmen Square, is widely regarded as China's White House. Once used as a secondary residence for Chinese emperors, the compound is prized for its lakes and manicured gardens.

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It became the seat of power for China's Communist government in 1949. Today it is one of the most politically significant landmarks in Beijing, and an invitation to it for foreign dignitaries is often seen as an honor and a sign of closeness. When Trump asked about other foreign leaders who had been inside the compound, Xi said it's "extremely rare", before adding that Russian leader Vladimir Putin had been there.

Belarus's president Alexander Lukashenko also visited Zhongnanhai last year. US presidents have previously visited the compound too, including Barack Obama, George W Bush and Richard Nixon during his historic 1972 trip. During Trump's tour on Friday, he paused to admire "the most beautiful roses anyone has ever seen" and trees, which Xi said were 200 to 400 years old.

"They live that long? "Yes, there are also 1,000-year-old trees in other places," Xi replied. Getty ImagesPresident Trump admiring trees in ZhongnanhaiHours before their walk in Zhongnanhai, Fox News aired a pre-recorded interview with Trump, in which he praised Xi as "warm" and "very smart".

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Xi had pledged not to provide Iran with military weapons, Trump told Fox News host Sean Hannity. "But at the same time, he said they buy a lot of their oil there, and they'd like to keep doing that," Trump added. "He'd like to see Hormuz Strait open.

"While Chinese authorities have not commented on Trump's claims, its foreign ministry released a statement saying Beijing has been working tirelessly to help end the conflict - an acknowledgement that officials are working behind the scenes to nudge Iran toward the negotiating table. China is the largest buyer of Iranian oil and the country's biggest trade partner.

The development has drawn wide international attention, with diplomatic circles watching closely.