China US

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday held a telephone conversation with US President-elect Donald Trump at the latter's request,mk the Xinhua News Agency reported. 

Xi congratulated Trump on his re-election as US president. He pointed out that both he and Trump attach great importance to interaction with each other, hope that China-US ties will have a good start in the new US presidential term, and stand ready to push China-US relations to make greater progress from a new starting point. 

Xi stressed that both China and the United States, two great countries, are pursuing their own dreams and are committed to making the lives of their people better. China and the United States share extensive common interests and broad space for cooperation, and the two countries can become partners and friends, contribute to each other's success, and enjoy common prosperity, which will benefit both countries and the whole world, Xi said. 

Xi said that it is inevitable that China and the United States, two major countries with different national conditions, have some differences, and the key is to respect each other's core interests and major concerns, and find appropriate ways to solve issues. 

He said that the Taiwan question concerns China's national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and it is hoped that the US side handles it with caution. The nature of China-US economic and trade relations is mutually beneficial and win-win, and confrontation and conflict should not be the choice of the two countries, Xi said. 

He also called on both sides to step up cooperation and do more great, practical and good things that are conducive to the two countries and the world at large based on the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation, so as to keep the two giant ships of China and the United States moving forward on the course of stable, healthy and sustainable development. 

Trump said he cherishes great relationship with Xi, hopes to continue to maintain dialogue and communication, and looks forward to meeting Xi at early date, Xinhua reported.  

Trump said the US and China should maintain long-lasting friendship, and work together to safeguard global peace, according to Xinhua. 

Xi and Trump also agreed to establish strategic communication channels and maintain regular contact on major issues of common concern, Xinhua reported.  

Diao Daming, a professor at the School of International Studies, Renmin University of China, told the Global Times on Friday that the talks ahead of Trump's inauguration underscore the importance that both sides attach to China-US relations. 

Exchanging views, reaching greater consensus on major issues as early as possible and agreeing to establish strategic communication channels are constructive for both Beijing and Washington to maintain the basic stability of bilateral ties, said the expert. 

According to Diao, the head-of-state diplomacy will continue to play a key role in guiding and steering China-US relations in the future, which will help ensure the sound, stable and sustainable development of bilateral relations.

Emphasis on ties

According to the CNN, President-elect Trump said on his social media platform that he has held a "very good" phone call with President Xi.

"It is my expectation that we will solve many problems together, and starting immediately," Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social.

Earlier on Friday, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson announced that at US invitation, President Xi's special representative, Vice President Han Zheng will attend the inauguration ceremony of President Donald Trump on January 20 in Washington, DC.

Elaborating on China's decision, the spokesperson said China follows the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation in viewing and growing its relationship with the US.

"We stand ready to work with the new US government to enhance dialogue and communication, properly manage differences, expand mutually beneficial cooperation, jointly pursue a stable, healthy and sustainable China-US relationship and find the right way for the two countries to get along with each other," the spokesperson added.

US media has also attached great attention to the decision to send Vice President Han Zheng. The Associated Press (AP) described the decision as "a break from tradition since no heads of state have previously made an official visit to the US for the inauguration." NBC News also claimed that China's decision marks "the first time a senior Chinese leader will have attended a new US president's swearing-in."

Diao said that dispatching a special envoy to attend a foreign president's inauguration is in line with China's diplomatic practice. He noted that a vice president is the highest level special envoy to attend an inauguration. 

Lü Xiang, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, regarded China's decision as a "well-intentioned response" to the US invitation.

Having a ceremonial interaction between China and the US from the day of the inauguration is conducive to easing the tense elements in the bilateral relationship, and will also be beneficial for advancing substantial progress in bridging differences, expanding the fields of cooperation, the expert added. 

During a press briefing at a December conference at Mar-a-Lago, Trump said that China and the US could work together to solve all the problems of the world. 

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi also said that "as long as China and the US cooperate with each other, they can accomplish many great things together" in December.

However, some analysts believed that despite positive signals from the very top level, there are still uncertainties and challenges ahead.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun on Wednesday called US accusations of so-called forced labor "completely unfounded," and reiterated that China will take resolute measures to firmly safeguard Chinese companies' legitimate and lawful rights and interests, after the US Department of Homeland Security announced on Tuesday it is adding 37 Chinese entities to its list of those banned from exporting to the US over so-called Xinjiang forced labor practices. 

The Chinese Foreign Ministry also expressed strong opposition to the US' recent strengthened restrictions on advanced computing semiconductors and enhancing of foundry due diligence to prevent diversion to China.

Some analysts said that while the Biden administration has recently introduced a series of restrictive moves toward China, which underscores the complexity of the US-China relationship, many US netizens, or "TikTok refugees," have flocked to Chinese app Xiaohongshu, in protest at the US government's ban on TikTok. The following interactions and communication on the platform have led to curiosity and goodwill between ordinary people in the two countries that transcend political differences. 

Analysts believe that these light-hearted exchanges reflect a sense of friendship and humor that goes beyond cultural differences, and that such interactions also play a key role in countering the misrepresentation and vilification of China by some Western media, providing American users with the opportunity to learn about Chinese life, culture and values, and helping to break down long-standing misunderstandings and prejudices.