India, May 15 -- US President Donald Trump has forcefully pushed back against reports that Chinese President Xi Jinping views the United States as a "nation in decline," framing the assessment as a critique of the previous Joe Biden administration. Trump said the Chinese President referred to the "damage" done by the previous administration, pledging to build a bilateral relationship with China that is "stronger and better than ever before."

The diplomatic friction ignited following a report suggesting that China's President Xi has privately characterised the US as a fading superpower. In a series of social media posts and subsequent public remarks, Trump dismissed the notion that the US is currently on a downward trajectory, insisting i...