During a meeting with his Polish counterpart Karol Nawrocki at the White House, Trump responded to a related question: “We helped China a lot when they talk about freedom. I think, and hope I am wrong, but it seems to me that there was not enough gratitude expressed to the United States for helping China achieve freedom.”

He added, “I was very surprised by President Xi Jinping’s speech, he is my friend, but I think the United States should have been mentioned during this speech,” noting that he watched the ceremony and considered it beautiful.

The US president said, “I think the ceremony was beautiful, I admire it. I understand they did it hoping I would watch it. And I did watch it.”

On Wednesday, the Chinese capital Beijing witnessed celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the Chinese people’s victory in the war of resistance against Japanese invaders and in World War II, which included a large-scale military parade in Tiananmen Square.