The People's Daily, the official newspaper of China's Communist Party, said relations between China and the U.S. stand at a new starting point following President Xi Jinping's state visit to the U.S., calling for a "path of coexistence" that expands cooperation while managing competition and differences.
In a "Zhongsheng" commentary on the 26th, a column the paper uses to lay out China's positions on major international issues, the People's Daily said the two countries should jointly implement the agreements reached by their leaders and move a "constructive and stable strategic relationship" from concept to action.
The commentary highlighted the 16-character message Xi presented during the visit as the core principle for bilateral ties: cooperation should take priority, competition should be restrained, differences should be kept under control, and peace should be attainable. The formulation is read as a plan to manage the intensity of competition and prevent differences from escalating into conflict even as strategic rivalry continues.
On economy and trade, the paper said the two sides should expand the areas where they cooperate and reduce the issues over which they clash. "Ahead of the China-U.S. summit, the economic and trade delegations of the two countries reached a new joint agreement," it said, adding that the relationship is fundamentally one of mutual benefit and that equal negotiation is the only correct choice when differences and friction arise.
On Taiwan, the paper reaffirmed Beijing's hard-line position. "Making principles and bottom lines clear is an important precondition for building a constructive and stable strategic relationship between China and the U.S.," it said. "The Taiwan question is the core of China's core interests and the first red line that must not be crossed in China-U.S. relations."
It added that Washington should uphold its correct position of opposing Taiwan independence and handle the issue prudently, laying a solid foundation for strategic cooperation and the development of bilateral ties. The paper also proposed that the two countries continue their dialogue on artificial intelligence to exchange views on risks and benefits and jointly prevent the misuse and abuse of AI.
"This year is an important year for development in both China and the U.S., and China-U.S. relations also stand at a new historical starting point," the People's Daily said. "The two countries should turn the agreements reached by their leaders into action and build a path for two major powers to coexist properly on this planet."
