Photo: VCG

On the Monday morning, China officially announced that the President of the United States of America Donald J. Trump will pay a state visit to China from Wednesday to Friday. As soon as the news broke, global public opinion instantly tuned in to Beijing time. From the itinerary and meeting agenda to the strategic signals likely to be released by the meetings between the two heads of state, every detail has become the focal point of intense attention from international media and markets.

Even before the summit begins, media coverage worldwide has already dominated headlines. For instance, in the May 12 popularity ranking of Singapore's Lianhe Zaobao, reports on the China-US summit have consistently topped the list. This global attention underscores that this will be a pivotal interaction shaping China-US relations, cross-Straits dynamics and even the global landscape.

Why is the world fixated on this historic China-US summit?

First, the international community expects China and the US to forge a new balance between their core interests. As the world's two largest economies and most influential powers in global security and development, China and the US have differences over the Taiwan question, trade, technology and regional security. Yet, the more complex the differences and the fiercer the competition, the more critical direct communication at the highest level becomes. The world is watching whether this summit, while respecting each other's major concerns, can help build a more stable and predictable interaction framework.

Second, the world hopes China and the US can explore a new model of peaceful coexistence. In recent years, global turmoil has intensified, geopolitical conflicts have erupted one after another, and global industrial chains, supply chains and financial markets have faced immense pressure. A stable China-US relationship brings greater certainty to the world; a strained one fuels volatility. Thus, the international community closely monitors the signals from the summit: Will the two sides remain trapped in a confrontational narrative, or can they exercise restraint amid competition, seek cooperation despite differences and uphold bottom lines amid gamesmanship?

Third - and most crucially, sensitively and prominently - the Taiwan question. Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory. China must safeguard its own sovereignty and territorial integrity and will never allow Taiwan to be separated from the mainland. The Taiwan question is always the most important and sensitive matter in China-US relations, as well as a major variable affecting regional peace and stability. The Chinese mainland, the US and neighboring countries all recognize that any escalation of cross-Straits tensions would have far-reaching consequences beyond the region. Hence, the world closely watches how the two sides address the Taiwan question at the summit and whether the US will explicitly signal opposition to "Taiwan independence," resistance to confrontation escalation and commitment to maintaining cross-Straits peace and stability.

From a broader perspective, the world's focus on the China-US summit ultimately reflects a quest for certainty in an uncertain era and peace in a turbulent world.

This summit features both warm hospitality in protocol arrangements and strategic vision in great-power interactions. It embodies hope for stable and improving China-US relations and global confidence in peace and stability. Beyond the handshakes and photos, the world watches whether China and the US can responsibly manage differences, mitigate risks and stabilize the overall situation.

In the days ahead, Beijing will stand under the global spotlight. The world awaits a summit that responds to the needs of the times and the expectations of the world.