By Su Xiaohui
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday morning held talks with US President Donald Trump, who is on a state visit to China, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. During the talks, President Xi stressed that China is committed to a steady, sound, and sustainable development of China-US relations. He and President Trump agreed on a new vision of building a constructive China-US relationship of strategic stability.
A constructive China-US relationship of strategic stability is not a slogan. It means actions in the same direction. President Xi stressed that "constructive strategic stability" means positive stability with cooperation as the mainstay, healthy stability with competition within proper limits, constant stability with manageable differences, and lasting stability with expectable peace. This new positioning is of great significance, providing clear direction for promoting the steady, sound, and sustainable development of China-US relations.
The consensus reached by the two heads of state on building a new positioning of China-US relations highlights the high importance both countries attach to bilateral ties. In recent years, the two heads of state of China and the US have maintained strategic communication. Trump's state visit to China marks the first visit to China by a US president in nine years, his first visit to China during his second term, and the first face-to-face meeting between the two heads of state this year. Both sides intend to take this visit as an opportunity to stabilize bilateral relations, properly handle differences, and advance cooperation.
The new positioning of China-US relations is based on both the shared willingness and practical reality of mutual benefit and win-win cooperation. The two countries share extensive common interests and vast potential for cooperation. This year marks the beginning of China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030). China remains committed to opening up and cooperation, which will bring more opportunities to countries around the world, including the US. Before the visit, US media had closely followed which companies and business leaders would have the opportunity to join the delegation to China. President Trump has repeatedly stressed that this visit will create business opportunities for the business community.
The new positioning of China-US relations helps both sides find the right way for China and the US to get along. President Xi once put forward the three principles of mutual respect, peaceful co-existence, and win-win cooperation. This is China's answer to the right way for the two countries to get along, and it has also received a response from the US side. Over the years, China-US relations have experienced ups and downs and have also gone through difficult moments. Respecting each other's core interests and major concerns is the foundation for preventing misjudgment and loss of control in China-US relations, and it is also the prerequisite for properly resolving problems and finding workable solutions.
The US has repeatedly proposed setting up "guardrails" in China-US relations to prevent the relationship from going out of control, which to some extent reflects its recognition of the importance of maintaining strategic stability in bilateral ties. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations, the two sides have already made substantial progress in cooperation in areas such as the economy and trade. The new positioning of China-US relations further clarifies the willingness for cooperation, opposes vicious competition, and emphasizes managing differences. The two sides have also proposed using this new positioning to provide strategic guidance for China-US relations over the next three years and beyond, thereby enhancing the stability and predictability of bilateral ties.
The new positioning of China-US relations once again highlights the role of head-of-state diplomacy as the anchor of bilateral relations. Facts show that China has the capability to safeguard its national sovereignty, security, and development interests. At the same time, China is actively shaping China-US relations. Previously, both China and the US emphasized the importance of maintaining stable major-country relations. However, the US side has at times used the excuse of "managing differences" to undermine China's interests and damage China-US relations. China has made its bottom line clear on issues involving core interests and has further emphasized the need for constant stability with manageable differences. The stability of China-US relations should not rely on China's unilateral efforts alone. It requires both sides to treat each other as equals and move in the same direction.
The two heads of state are at the helm of the "giant ship" of China-US relations. Whether this "giant ship" sails steadily concerns not only bilateral ties, but also world peace and development. On the basis of this new positioning, China and the US should work together in the same boat, demonstrate the vision and responsibility of major countries, achieve mutual success and common prosperity, benefit both peoples, and contribute to the world.
(The author is associate research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies)
Editor's note: Originally published on huanqiu.com, this article is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information and opinions in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn.