Xi’s visit to set tone for future Sino- US ties
Expanding common interests is the only lifeblood of maintaining major power relations.
US media reported Monday that US President Donald Trump will host Chinese President Xi Jinping for the first time at his Florida Mar- a- Lago resort in early April. Authorities from both sides later noted that planning for the meeting between the two heads of state is still ongoing and both sides are in close communication. However, the first possible summit between the Chinese and US leaders has already been read as a confirmed message by global public opinion. Unconfirmed details did not stop anticipation toward this meeting.
A summit of heads of state between Beijing and Washington is a major event. It will likely set the tone for the Sino- US relationship in the coming four years and influence the entire Asia- Pacific region. Such significance has obviously been noticed.
If the gathering occurs in less than a month, it will be one of the most rap- idly arranged visits between a new US leader and the Chinese leadership. This is also of great importance.
After Trump took office, his attitude toward China triggered widespread concerns. For the moment, suspicions that he might overturn the previous US policy toward China have been generally excluded. Ties between the two countries are once again on solid ground. However, there are still some questions left to be answered. Sino- US trade, the crisis on the Korean Peninsula and the South China Sea issue all need further communication in order to create an atmosphere for constructive resolution.
In the run up to a high- level summit between the two nations, the US always expresses its main concerns through the media. Recently, the White House raised a concept of establishing “a results- oriented relationship with China.” There is currently not much elaboration about this. It is hoped that the idea is aimed at seeking mutual benefits between the two countries, instead of only benefits for the US, as some media interpreted. Expanding common interests is the only lifeblood of maintaining major power relations. It is believed that Washington is well aware of that.
The upcoming Xi- Trump summit has brought optimism in ties between China and the US. Amid discussions over uncertainties between the two, the news showed people that the relationship between the world’s first and second- largest economies will develop in a more positive and stable way in the future than how some speculated late last year.
Through ups and downs, China and the US have gradually formed the experience that no matter how big the divergences or what impulses either has over which disputes, they will eventually choose a non- confrontational path like negotiation to solve their problems. Such practices seem to have promoted one understanding between the two societies, which is that resolving their controversies via consultation and negotiation is a more realistic choice for both sides compared with confrontation. The advantage it brings is much better than the consequences that would stem from ferocious conflicts.
We sincerely hope that the Xi- Trump summit will run smoothly. It will without question offer some momentum in figuring out pressing problems between the two countries.