China News Service, September 27, Title: Xi Jinping’s trip to the United States: Sino-US relations from reviewing the past to learning about the new
On the afternoon of September 26, President Xi Jinping successfully concluded his state visit to the United States and returned to Beijing.
During this trip to the United States, President Xi Jinping said, "Review the past and learn the new. Today, China-U.S. relations stand at a new historical starting point."
In a critical year for the development of China and the United States, when the two heads of state have exchanged visits within half a year, it is of great significance for China and the United States to review the past and learn about the new.
Only by reviewing the past can we clearly see the development process of Sino-US relations.
At the welcome banquet hosted by US President Trump, President Xi Jinping reviewed the history of friendly exchanges between the peoples of China and the United States using four time coordinates: more than 200 years ago, more than 80 years ago, more than 50 years ago, and more than 20 years ago.
From the Chinese military and civilians rescuing hundreds of American pilots during the Anti-Japanese War, at the cost of hundreds of thousands of lives, to Ping Pong diplomacy opening the door to long-standing exchanges, to an American named Saikas sponsoring Chinese desert controller Yin Yuzhen to plant trees...
Although these stories are separated by many years, they all illustrate together: the mutual understanding and love between people are the warmest and most powerful, which can break down the barriers, clean up the noise, and connect each other across the vast Pacific Ocean.
The people-to-people bonds provide solid strength and lasting momentum for the development of Sino-US relations.
Looking back at the development of Sino-US relations, we can see that the two countries should be partners and friends. This is the inspiration of history and the need of reality.
At the White House welcome ceremony, President Xi Jinping clarified the profound meaning of his visit: "I am visiting the United States at the invitation of President Trump this time to inherit friendship, expand cooperation, and enhance the well-being of the two peoples."
During this visit, in order to promote people-to-people and cultural exchanges between China and the United States, President Xi Jinping announced a series of new measures. In the next five years, China will invite 100,000 American teenagers to come to China for exchange and study; the giant pandas "Pingping" and "Fushuang" will soon be settled at Zoo Atlanta...
At present, a century of changes is accelerating. The peace deficit, development deficit, security deficit, and trust deficit continue to expand. The world looks forward to more stability, certainty, and constructive forces. For the big ship of China-US relations to move forward smoothly, we need to draw wisdom from history.
To learn new things means to explore new ways for the two major countries to get along correctly.
This year is the first year of China’s “15th Five-Year Plan” and also the 250th anniversary of the independence of the United States. China and the United States each have their own goals, so why should they meet each other halfway?
This time, President Xi Jinping pointed out that we should show our responsibility as a major country, conform to the expectations of the people and the trend of the times, and explore a new way for major countries to get along correctly.
A new road, a new direction. In May this year, the heads of state of China and the United States jointly established a new positioning of bilateral relations to build a constructive strategic and stable relationship between China and the United States. During this visit, the two heads of state further expanded the connotation of the new positioning of China-U.S. relations, clarified the importance of respect, fairness, and reciprocity, and agreed to build a "constructive strategic and stable relationship between China and the United States based on respect, fairness, and reciprocity." This provided clearer strategic guidance for China and the United States to explore ways to get along with each other as major powers.
- Respect means respecting each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity, respecting the social system and development path chosen by each, and respecting each other's core interests and major concerns.
——Fairness means carrying out mutually beneficial cooperation, resolving differences through consultation, not engaging in a zero-sum game in which you lose and I win, and not pursuing unilateral absolute advantage.
——Reciprocity means that the two countries have equal sovereignty, no distinction between superior and inferior, do not engage in bullying, resolve respective concerns on an equal footing, and develop cooperation in all fields in a balanced manner.
It is normal for China and the United States to have differences, but properly handling differences and contradictions while seeking common ground while reserving differences is the proper meaning of a constructive strategic and stable relationship between China and the United States.
As President Xi Jinping pointed out, "realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and making the United States great again can go hand in hand, achieve mutual success, and benefit the world."
Can China and the United States overcome the "Thucydides Trap" and create a new paradigm for major power relations? This is an important question raised by President Xi Jinping during his talks with Trump in Beijing in May this year.
During this trip to the United States, President Xi Jinping emphasized that the "Thucydides Trap" can be overcome.
