At the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, U.S. President Donald Trump paid a state visit to China on May 13-15, with the two presidents meeting again in person for the first time since their talks in Busan, the Republic of Korea, last October. It was also the first visit to China by a U.S. president in almost nine years.

During the visit, President Xi exchanged views with President Trump on major issues concerning bilateral relations and world peace and development. Against the backdrop of accelerated global transformation, the meeting provided new strategic impetus for China-U.S. relations going forward.

Head-of-state diplomacy is the compass and anchor of the China-U.S. relationship, playing an irreplaceable role in guiding its trajectory. Following Trump's return to the White House in 2025, the two heads of state have held multiple phone calls in addition to the Busan meeting. The meeting in Beijing built on previous talks and consensus. It provided fundamental guidance for interaction in all fields, and is expected to help steer China-U.S. relations toward a new stage of stable development following fluctuations in recent years, providing more certainty for a transforming and volatile world.

Building mutual trust is bound to be a gradual process. The issue of strategic perception is always fundamental. China and the United States have different social systems and development paths, which are the choices of their own peoples based on their respective history and cultural heritage. The two countries should pursue "harmony without uniformity" and act as partners instead of rivals. They must respect each other's core interests, properly manage differences and work together to deliver more positive results for themselves and the rest of the world.

Trump's latest visit to China presented an opportunity for a new start in China-U.S.

relations. As long as both uphold the consensus reached by their leaders, they can usher in a new pattern of peaceful coexistence.

This year is the start of China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) and the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence. The two countries will host the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting and the Group of 20 Summit, respectively. The world has reason to hope that 2026 will be a year in which the two major countries will advance toward greater mutual respect and mutually beneficial cooperation and provide more solutions to global challenges.