(Deutsche Welle Chinese website) Reports and images of U.S. President Trump’s high-profile reception for Xi Jinping returned to China. Associated Press reporters visited some citizens in Beijing. They believed that this could see China’s status improving.
Xiang Ziyu, a graduate student in Beijing, told the Associated Press, "I read in the news that the United States has very high standards for receiving President Xi." "This left a deep impression on me. It shows that our country has become very powerful," "because what supports him is China's comprehensive national strength."
Several people interviewed by the Associated Press on the street basically held this view. As for the Chinese media, they even praised Sino-US cooperation.
On Friday (September 25), the three most searched topics on Chinese social media platforms were: the meeting between Trump and Xi Jinping, Xi Jinping and Peng Liyuan’s attendance at the White House state banquet, and Xi Jinping’s greetings to the Chinese people on the occasion of the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Beijing resident Shen Zuohang said, "We don't want a trade war and no military conflict. Even on the Taiwan issue, we are moving in a good direction instead of fierce confrontation." He believes that "both sides are handling the issue in a more relaxed and acquiescent manner."
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported in a press release that during the meeting with Trump, Xi Jinping called on the United States to oppose Taiwan independence and hoped that Washington would handle this issue prudently. Trump has not yet commented on the topic of Taiwan, but has previously expressed his willingness to negotiate with China on arms sales to Taiwan.
A college student surnamed Xiang told the Associated Press that the summit sent a positive signal and was conducive to improving the Chinese public's view of the relationship between the two countries. "That's better than not communicating," he said.
"Taiwan's bargaining chip is getting lower and lower"
Reuters visited a Beijing park on Friday.
A man surnamed Gao who works in the education field said, "It would be better for China and the United States to work together. But China's rise poses a certain threat to the United States, so the United States will still suppress China in all aspects. But in recent years, China has developed faster and faster, and the United States may not be able to suppress China."
A man surnamed Zhou who works in the publishing industry talked about his views on AI control: "Artificial intelligence should have a reasonable framework, especially after American companies revealed that artificial intelligence was out of control and attacked other countries' companies. Yesterday it was revealed that the Australian government website was attacked. The United States is in the leading position in artificial intelligence, and the framework he formulated may also be aimed at restricting the development of artificial intelligence in China. So we must have a clear understanding."
On the issue of relations with Taiwan, the man surnamed Zhou also expressed his views, "As China becomes stronger, the value of Taiwan as a bargaining chip becomes less and less. It is better for the United States to exchange it for something that is beneficial to the United States itself."
Public expectations for Xi Jinping’s visit to the United States
Before Xi Jinping arrived in Washington, AFP reporters interviewed several random passers-by in Beijing.
A man surnamed Huang told AFP in central Beijing that the visit was crucial in shaping relations between the world's two largest economies. "As an ordinary citizen, I hope that China-US relations can achieve long-term, stable and mutually beneficial development." He also said, "I also hope that through President Xi's visit to the United States and friendly, harmonious and good-faith communication with President Trump, we can promote the development of bilateral relations."
Lu Hao, who works in the financial sector, said he was paying close attention to whether any economic agreement could be reached after the talks. He also remembers the difficult moments he and his customers experienced during the trade war. The 27-year-old told AFP, "I sincerely hope that this visit can release positive signals and bring more good news to the global stock market." He said, "Because as soon as the (trade war) started, our stock market was the first to bear the brunt and suffered the worst impact." He said, "It is clear that the trade war brings a lose-lose situation."
Lucy Lu, who works in the foreign trade service industry, also told AFP that conflicts between major powers are "harmful to all parties." The 43-year-old said that due to the increase in tariffs, it has become extremely difficult for export companies to ship out certain goods. "I sincerely hope that countries can maintain a friendly attitude on the tariff issue."
