Last Thursday, former head of US diplomacy Henry Kissinger met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in a meeting that comes amid strong tensions between the two countries.

Kissinger, aged 100, had been key in the rapprochement between the two nations in the 1970s.

“The Chinese people value friendship, we will never forget our old friend and his historic contribution to promoting the development of China-US relations and promoting friendship between the peoples of the two countries,” Xi told Kissinger on Thursday, according to state media.

As National Security Adviser, he secretly traveled to Beijing in July 1971 to prepare for the establishment of diplomatic relations with China and pave the way for US President Richard Nixon’s historic 1972 tour.

“This not only benefited the two countries, but also changed the world,” Xi said.

“The world is currently going through changes not seen in a century and the international landscape is undergoing tremendous changes,” said the Chinese president.

“China and the United States are again at a crossroads and both sides must make a decision,” he added.

Kissinger thanked Xi for welcoming him to the Diaoyutai residence, in the same building where he lived in 1971.

“Relationships between our two countries will be central to world peace and the progress of our societies,” Kissinger said.

During his visit, he also met with Defense Minister Li Shangfu.

Kissinger has also benefited economically from its relationship with China, advising companies with investments in that country.

Kissinger is a visionary to his admirers, but a war criminal to his critics, questioned for his support of coups in Uruguay, Chile and Argentina, among other things.