Henry Kissinger, 100, meets Xi Jinping amid tense US-China relations

Calling Kissinger an "Old friend" for whom he has "Great respect," Xi said the visit by the former national security adviser held special significance because of Kissinger's advanced age and his long history with China - a country the Germany-born diplomat has visited more than 100 times. "We will never forget our old friend and your historic contribution to promoting the development of Sino-US relations and enhancing the friendship between the Chinese and American peoples," Xi said, according to state-run media CCTV. Xi added that he and Kissinger last met about three years ago, prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Though Kissinger has not worked in foreign policy for the US government since the 1970s, the Nobel Peace Prize winner has remained active on the diplomatic stage, publishing the book "On China" in 2011, which takes a historic look into Beijing's history of foreign relations and provides insight into the Chinese Communist Party. "The relations between our two countries would be central to the peace in the world and the progress of our societies," Kissinger said during the visit, adding that it was "a great privilege to visit China." Kissinger is credited for normalizing US-China relations during his tenure as national security adviser, secretly visiting the Communist nation in 1971 to lay the foundation for the 1972 summit with President Richard Nixon, Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai and CCP Chairman Mao Zedong. Later, Xi told Kissinger that "China and the United States are once again at the crossroads of where to go, and the two sides need to make new decisions," according to a statement released by the Chinese Foreign Ministry. Xi's meeting with Kissinger is of particular interest given his decisions not to meet with US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen or US special envoy for climate John Kerry during their official visits to Beijing this month.