China US Photo: VCG

US President Donald Trump arrived in Beijing on Wednesday to begin his state visit to China at the invitation of President Xi Jinping. This marks another face-to-face meeting between the leaders of the two countries since their Busan meeting last October, and the first visit to China by a US president in nine years. President Xi and President Trump will have an in-depth exchange of views on major issues concerning China-US relations and world peace and development. In this meeting, widely regarded as "historic," the two leaders will once again shake hands, marking a new starting point with milestone significance.

The upcoming meeting between the Chinese and US heads of state carries immense expectations. Together, the two countries account for more than one-third of the world's total economic output, nearly one-quarter of the world's population, and approximately one-fifth of global trade… As permanent members of the UN Security Council and the world's two largest economies, stable China-US relations bring greater certainty to the international landscape. The ties between the two countries are not merely a bilateral relationship in the conventional sense; they are a key variable that influences global peace, economic growth, the stability of industrial and supply chains, as well as the direction of global governance. Especially amid the current intensifying global turmoil, the international community is eager to hear more positive news from Beijing and looks forward to the two leaders charting the correct course for the bilateral relations in the coming period. A stable China-US relationship also serves as an important public good that the two countries provide to the world.

Why does the world hold such high expectations? The fundamental reason is that head-of-state diplomacy plays an irreplaceable role in providing strategic guidance for China-US relations. Over the years, China-US relations have weathered storms - at times even rough seas - yet have consistently maintained the overall dynamic stability, which is no small feat.

Today, dialogue between the two sides is more equal, communication more pragmatic, and bottom lines clearer, demonstrating the potential for the bilateral relations to forge a new chapter through resilience. This has fundamentally been shaped by the "compass" and "anchor" role of head-of-state diplomacy, which has repeatedly recalibrated the course of China-US relations amid storms.

As one of the world's most consequential bilateral relationships today, China-US relations span a wide range of fields and affect various aspects; it is inevitable that differences and even frictions will arise. However, confidence is growing among all sectors of both countries and the international community that the two sides will resolve their differences through equal consultation. This confidence stems precisely from the leadership and guidance provided by head-of-state diplomacy at critical moments, ensuring that bilateral ties do not spiral out of control due to localized frictions or sudden crises. 

Since last year, tariff issues have unsettled the world, and China-US relations have faced severe tests. Yet, guided by the consensus reached by the two heads of state, the economic and trade teams of both sides have held seven rounds of consultations to date, continuously building consensus, managing differences, and expanding cooperation.

Since the meeting between Xi and Trump in Busan last October, China-US relations have generally maintained a stable and positive momentum, a development widely welcomed by both countries and the international community. Counting from President Xi's congratulatory message to then President-elect Trump on November 7, 2024, the two leaders have spoken by phone six times and met face to face once.

Head-of-state diplomacy has not only helped steer the giant ship of China-US relations clear of immediate rocks, but has also provided far-sighted strategic guidance, charting a course for the steady and long-term development of bilateral ties. Drawing on the experiences and lessons of decades of China-US interactions, President Xi solemnly proposed that the two countries should uphold mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation, and through dialogue and consultation jointly find the right way for the two major countries to get along on this planet. President Xi has also repeatedly emphasized that "The world is big enough to accommodate both countries, and one country's success is an opportunity for the other." With a sense of responsibility to history, to the people, and to the world, China has consistently taken head-of-state diplomacy as strategic guidance and actively promoted efforts to build a China-US relationship that is strategic, constructive, and stable.

Facts have repeatedly shown that as long as the consensus reached by the two heads of state is fully implemented, China-US relations can overcome differences and continue moving forward steadily. In recent years, most difficulties in bilateral relations have largely stemmed from the fact that some people in the US cling to the mistaken logic that one side out-competes or thrives at the expense of the other, thereby deviating from the consensus between the two leaders.

President Xi pointed out that China's development and revitalization goes hand in hand with US President Donald Trump's vision to "Make America Great Again," and that "China and the US can achieve mutual success and shared prosperity." President Trump has also clearly stated that China and the US can work together to solve major global issues and that the two heads of state can better develop China-US relations.

For the bilateral relations to truly stabilize and improve, it is imperative to unwaveringly uphold the strategic guidance of head-of-state diplomacy and fully implement the important consensus reached by the two leaders without compromise.

In 2026, China begins the first year of its 15th Five-Year Plan, while the US marks the 250th anniversary of its independence. People believe that under the strategic guidance of head-of-state diplomacy, 2026 will not only become a year in which China and the US move toward mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation, but will also mark a new historic milestone in exploring the right way for the two countries to coexist in a new era. The future of China-US relations is bright.