Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, September 30. Title: President Xi Jinping’s trip to Washington: the historical weight of three scenes
Xinhua News Agency reporters Hao Weiwei and Yang Yijun
On the afternoon of September 23, local time, at Andrews Air Force Base in Washington, the national flags of China and the United States fluttered in the wind, and the American honor guard lined up. President Xi Jinping arrived here by special plane and began his state visit to the United States. The image of U.S. President Trump breaking diplomatic convention and going to the airport to greet him in person instantly spread around the world.
New history is being written on both sides of the ocean: from the meeting in Beijing in May to the meeting in Washington in September, the two heads of state exchanged visits in less than half a year, which is unprecedented in the history of Sino-US relations.
In recent years, "the most important bilateral relationship in the world today" has experienced ups and downs in the face of major changes unseen in a century, affecting the development of the two countries and even all aspects of the world. When history looks back at this period, it will definitely write a profound footnote for the times in 2026: "A historic and landmark year for Sino-US relations to carry forward the past and open up the future."
From September 23 to 25, the Chinese head of state’s diplomacy pointed to “Washington time.” Zoom in and focus on three vivid scenes to truly understand the importance of the "historic and iconic year" and gain a profound insight into the general trend and the will of the people in the century-old changes.
(1) A photo to witness the leadership of the head of state
It’s the season again when the autumn sun shines on the clear sky. After 11 years, President Xi Jinping visited the White House again.
Main building atrium. President Trump happily recalled scenes of interactions with President Xi Jinping: "President Xi Jinping and I met many times in Germany, Argentina, Japan, South Korea, Beijing, Palm Beach, Florida and other places around the world" and "established a great friendship based on mutual respect and the fundamental interests of the two peoples."
Gathering at the White House for the first time, President Trump introduced to President Xi Jinping the new changes in the presidential residence.
A photo of President Xi Jinping and President Trump cordially shaking hands in the square outside the East Gate of the Great Hall of the People is mounted in a golden photo frame. The meeting in Beijing in May established a new positioning for Sino-US relations as a constructive, strategic and stable relationship, and also allowed the US delegation to gain a deeper understanding of China through "close contact" with Chinese culture and Chinese-style modernization. President Trump said to President Xi Jinping: "We respect you very much. This photo hanging here represents the great respect we have for you."
This respect is reflected in the special arrangements made by President Trump and his wife Melania for the visit of President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan.
Taking the welcome ceremony as an example, it is divided into multiple parts such as the atrium, south balcony, and rose garden. It lasted 80 minutes and was grand and warm. The U.S. Army Bugle Corps, Marine Corps Silent Drilling Platoon, and Army "Old Guard" Drum and Fife Troupe all took part in the ceremony. The honor guard composed of 479 service members from all branches of the military was far beyond the norm. President Trump’s granddaughter Arabella, who once recited Tang poetry for President Xi Jinping and his wife at Mar-a-Lago, also appeared at the welcome ceremony.
This respect is accumulated in the in-depth talks and interactions between the two heads of state.
The significance of face-to-face diplomacy lies in "enhancing understanding, seeking common ground while reserving differences, and accumulating mutual trust" through "frank, in-depth, and sustained dialogue." It is also based on this that to promote the steady and long-term development of the ship of China-US relations, President Xi Jinping specifically emphasized "strengthening communication": "President Trump and I respect each other, have established good relations, and maintain regular communication. We encourage the diplomatic, economic and trade, financial, law enforcement, cultural and other departments of the two countries to strengthen communication, and support the legislative bodies of the two countries to expand exchanges."
This respect is based on the extraordinary journey of "the most important bilateral relationship in the world".
During the meeting in Busan, President Trump was impressed by China’s calmness in dealing with the “tariff tsunami”. President Trump smiled and called President Xi Jinping a “very tough negotiator.” What is significant is that when reporting on President Xi Jinping’s visit to the United States, American media with different stances unanimously fully affirmed China’s development achievements in infrastructure, new energy, artificial intelligence and other fields. Changes in the international situation and the balance of power are prompting changes in cognition and mentality. Some observers of international issues pointed out that stabilizing Sino-US relations has increasingly become the expectation of all sectors of American society.
Regarding this historic and landmark visit, some people paid attention to the extremely high-level courtesy, some people paid attention to a hard-to-find state banquet, and some people paid attention to the statements of both sides on international hot issues... The core of which, as the Financial Times pointed out, is the normalization of high-level strategic communication through heads of state diplomacy to provide strategic guidance for bilateral relations.
Airport pick-ups, talks, state banquets, tea talks, visits... During the three days in Washington, President Xi Jinping and President Trump conducted various forms of interaction and exchanged candid and in-depth views on strategic and overall issues related to China-US relations and the general trend of the world. On the last day of the visit, a piece of news quickly spread around the world: "China and the United States agreed to jointly build a 'constructive strategic and stable relationship based on respect, fairness, and reciprocity.'"
From Beijing to Washington, from establishing a new positioning of the relationship to enriching its connotation, Sino-US relations are standing at a new historical starting point.
(2) A piece of history that enlightens the times and responsibilities
Two countries facing each other across the ocean have very different social systems and different stages of development. What kind of bond connects them closely?
During the visit, a piece of history was recalled and told together.
"More than 80 years ago, the people of China and the United States fought side by side against the Japanese militarist invaders and opened up the famous Hump Route." "Chinese military and civilians rescued hundreds of American pilots at the cost of hundreds of thousands of lives." On the evening of September 24, local time, at the welcome state banquet, dignitaries from the U.S. government and celebrities from all walks of life filled the East Room of the White House. President Xi Jinping looked back at the years when China and the United States fought side by side against fascism, and talked about "the friendship forged by blood and fire."
President Trump also talked about history in his welcome speech. The "Legendary Flying Tigers" fighting for "the survival of the legendary country" arose from the Chinese people's national salvation movement and the "Gung Ho" spirit that still influences the U.S. Marine Corps to this day... The Chinese people have not forgotten the common history, and neither have the American people.
Once upon a time, when the world was in deep crisis, as World War II allies, China and the United States fought for peace and justice for mankind. Today, when mankind reaches a new crossroads, as permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and the world's top two economies, what kind of responsibility should China and the United States demonstrate as major powers?
President Xi Jinping’s words were firm: “In the face of changes in the world today, changes in the times, and changes in history, China and the United States are two major countries shouldering the historical responsibility of promoting human development and progress.”
This important task is to open up a new path - to cross the "Thucydides Trap" and "find a correct way for two major countries to get along with each other on this planet."
This important task is to benefit the world - "Although Sino-US cooperation cannot solve all the world's problems, without cooperation between the two countries, many problems in the world will be difficult to solve."
This important task also includes responding to the new era issues - "China and the United States are both major countries in artificial intelligence. They have the ability and responsibility to develop and control artificial intelligence well, and ensure that the development of artificial intelligence is always controlled by people and benefits the people."
At a foreign affairs event after President Xi Jinping returned from his visit to the United States 11 years ago, a foreign guest asked: "How does a continuously developing China deal with the relationship with the outside world?" President Xi Jinping responded this way: "Where do we come from? Where are we going? With China today, I remind myself all the time that we must have such a sense of history."
It is with this sense of history that China has always insisted that China and the United States "should be partners, not opponents."
"Competition should be healthy and have boundaries. It should be a race in which you catch up with me, not a wrestling match in which you lose and I win." "Cooperation is a two-way street. The stability of Sino-US economic and trade relations requires both lengthening the list of cooperation and shortening the list of problems." This is the "Chinese Dialectics" about competition and cooperation.
It is with this sense of history that China has always insisted on "doing one thing at a time."
"Building a constructive strategic and stable relationship between China and the United States is not a quick fix, nor can it be achieved overnight. All departments, fields, and levels of the two countries must mobilize, not to ignore good deeds because they are small, not to do evil because they are small, and to implement the consensus reached by both parties with a nail-biting spirit." This is the "Chinese methodology" for turning vision into action.
Watering the beautiful flowers of China-US friendship bit by bit, step by step towards the correct way for major countries to get along with each other. During this visit to the United States, President Xi Jinping also brought two good news to the American people: one is that "in the next five years, China will invite 100,000 American teenagers to come to China for exchange and study"; the other is that "in a few days, the giant pandas 'Pingping' and 'Fushuang' will settle in the Atlanta Zoo to meet the American people."
"The future of Sino-U.S. relations is bright, which is a historical trend. At the same time, the road to a bright future is often tortuous, and there will always be various difficulties and challenges, which is also in line with the law of development of things. I am willing to work with President Trump to write an important chapter in the history of the development of Sino-U.S. relations with the courage and responsibility to be responsible for history." This is exactly the mind and magnanimity of leaders of major countries.
(3) A dialogue that shows civilized mind
The National Archives of the United States, located at 701 Constitution Avenue in Washington, D.C., mainly contains historical archives from the early days of the founding of the United States. On the morning of September 25, local time, President Xi Jinping and his wife came here accompanied by President Trump and his wife.
During his trip to Beijing more than four months ago, President Trump visited the Temple of Heaven, an ancient Chinese architectural treasure. This visit to the United States coincides with the 250th anniversary of the United States’ independence, and President Xi Jinping visited the National Historic Landmark of the United States. The "you come and I go" demonstrates the understanding and respect that China and the United States have for each other's history and culture.
In the semicircular central hall, parchment manuscripts from the 18th century are displayed in glass display cabinets, telling people today about the history. President Xi Jinping and President Trump watched and talked at the same time.
"We have 250 years of history, your country has thousands of years of history," President Trump said.
President Xi Jinping said that over the past 250 years, the American people have pursued the American dream and built a prosperous and powerful country and a beautiful homeland on the North American continent. The Chinese people have inherited the 5,000-year cultural tradition of the Chinese nation and have continuously made new achievements on their new journey to realize the Chinese dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Diverse civilizations are the true nature of the world. Each should appreciate its own beauty and share its beauty, which is the civilized mind that a big country should have.
With such a big heart, in the mutual respectful congratulations——
In his speech at the welcome ceremony, President Xi Jinping first extended sincere greetings to the American people on behalf of the more than 1.4 billion Chinese people and expressed warm congratulations on the 250th anniversary of the United States' independence.
Such a broad mind, in the heart-warming blessings——
While attending the welcoming state banquet, the Chinese people have begun to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival. President Xi Jinping sent blessings to the American people and the Chinese people across the ocean: "In Chinese tradition, the Mid-Autumn Festival is a festival of reunion. Here, I wish you all a happy Mid-Autumn Festival and a happy family!"
The East Room of the White House is decorated with "China red" everywhere. The United States said it hopes to convey "warmth and celebration" with traditional Chinese colors. During the banquet, bright dahlias bloomed grandly, and melodious Chinese music echoed in the hall.
"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." This situation is a concrete representation.
As the long-mile trip came to an end, "China and the United States reached an eight-point consensus on outcomes" became the focus of global attention: "Both sides agreed to support each other in successfully hosting the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders' Informal Meeting and the Group of Twenty (G20) Leaders' Summit" and "the two heads of state recognized The positive role of the Sino-US economic and trade consultation mechanism and the results of the consultations between the economic and trade teams of both sides, including the establishment and promotion of mechanisms such as the Trade Council, the agreement on a "US$30 billion" reciprocal tax reduction arrangement, the extension of the results of the Kuala Lumpur economic and trade consultation, etc. "The two sides agreed to establish the China-US Artificial Intelligence Dialogue"...
Although this "list of results" is short in words, it is heavy in weight - it is good news for the global economy and a reassurance for the international community.
As President Xi Jinping pointed out, China and the United States should and can achieve mutual benefit and win-win results in pragmatic cooperation, achieve mutual success in healthy competition, properly handle differences while seeking common ground while reserving differences, and build peace through accumulated mutual trust, so that the constructive strategic and stable relationship between China and the United States can better benefit the people of the two countries and people around the world.
As President Trump said, President Xi Jinping’s state visit to the United States is a constructive and very successful one. The two sides have in-depth communication on US-China relations and major international and regional issues, and have achieved many positive results, which are beneficial to both countries.
General trend and people's hearts, responsibility and responsibility. The long river of history flows endlessly, and China and the United States have a bright future in exploring a way for major countries to get along correctly.
