CGTN: How head-of-state diplomacy steers China-US ties toward stability

CGTN published an article on Chinese President Xi Jinping's upcoming state visit to the United States. Highlighting the new positioning of China-US relations set out by the two heads of state in May, the article stressed that head-of-state diplomacy has always served as the "anchor" of the relationship, playing an irreplaceable strategic guiding role and providing important strategic safeguards for the improvement and development of bilateral ties.

BEIJING, Sept. 22, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to the United States from September 23 to 25 at the invitation of US President Donald Trump.

It will be the second meeting between the two heads of state within half a year, following Trump's state visit to China in May.

Detailing Xi's upcoming visit on Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said the exchange of visits marks a historic milestone.

A review of bilateral relations, which have maintained overall stability despite ups and downs, demonstrates that head-of-state diplomacy has always served as the "anchor" of the relationship, playing an irreplaceable strategic guiding role and providing important strategic safeguards for the improvement and development of bilateral ties.

New positioning

Over the years, Xi and Trump have maintained communication through face-to-face meetings, phone calls and other exchanges. Bilateral relations have moved forward along the track charted by the two leaders.

When they met in May, the two presidents agreed on a new vision of building a constructive China-US relationship of strategic stability over the next three years and beyond. Xi defined the nature of "constructive strategic stability" as a positive stability with cooperation as the mainstay, a sound stability with moderate competition, a constant stability with manageable differences and an enduring stability with promises of peace.

It was more than a new phrase. At a time of mounting global uncertainty and accelerating changes unseen in a century, the consensus sends an important message: China and the US should choose dialogue over confrontation, cooperation over conflict, and stability over turbulence.

Describing the new positioning of ties as "accurate," Wang Honggang, director of the Institute of American Studies at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, told CGTN that "constructive strategic stability" is the long-term direction for the development of China-US relations.

Elaborating on the new positioning, Zhang Tengjun, associate research fellow at the Institute of American Studies at Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said it is a new calibration of the logic of China-US relations, adding that "constructive" implies an action-oriented approach, signifying that competition is by no means a zero-sum game, and pragmatic cooperation should be used to offset differences.

Guided by the consensus reached by the heads of state, the two countries' economic and trade teams have held multiple rounds of consultations, aiming to continuously build consensus, manage differences and strengthen cooperation to promote the stable, sound and sustainable development of China-US economic and trade relations.

The strategic guidance provided by head-of-state diplomacy steers the course of bilateral relations – a role that is irreplaceable, Zhang told CGTN.

Stable China-US relations good for the world

China's 15th Five-Year Plan started this year, and the country is comprehensively advancing Chinese modernization through high-quality development. Meanwhile, 2026 also marks the 250th anniversary of US Independence.

"Success in one is an opportunity for the other, and a stable bilateral relationship is good for the world," Xi stressed.

Despite differences, economic and trade cooperation continues to serve as the stabilizer and ballast of China-US relations. According to a 2026 survey of 175 US companies by the US-China Business Council, a resounding 95% of US firms operating in China consider the Chinese market to be "somewhat to very important" for staying globally competitive.

Sean Stein, president of the US-China Business Council, has said more US companies are looking to partner with Chinese businesses, aiming to learn from their strengths and leverage developments in China to stay competitive globally. "China is an important part of their global competitiveness," Stein told CGTN.

Beyond business, since 2026, law enforcement agencies of the two countries have engaged in practical cooperation in areas including counternarcotics, combating telecom and online fraud, and fugitive repatriation, achieving tangible results. A growing number of young Americans travel to China to experience the country through cultural activities, building a bridge to carry forward the friendship between the two peoples.

The two countries will respectively host major global gatherings this year, the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Shenzhen and the G20 Leaders' Summit in Miami, which will place them at the center of the international agenda.

Just as the Chinese leader has noted on many occasions, China and the United States, as two major countries, can shoulder their responsibilities and work together to accomplish more great and concrete things for the good of both countries and the whole world.

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Contact: Jiang Simin jiang.simin@cgtn.com