U.S. President Donald Trump Wednesday kicked off his three-day visit to China, creating a significant opportunity for the two countries to strengthen their bilateral cooperation that could also help shape a better future for the whole world.
The visit is Trump's first China trip after assuming the U.S. presidency and coming after the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), when Chinese President Xi Jinping was re-elected general secretary of the CPC Central Committee.
The national congress charted out an ambitious plan to build a moderately prosperous society in all respects by 2021, aiming to improve the lives of all Chinese, particularly those living under the national poverty line.
China is transitioning its economy from a phase of rapid growth to a stage of high-quality development, setting a higher standard for the economic transformation.
In the United States, the Trump administration has to tackle major challenges facing its economy, like restoring its manufacturing industries and spurring job creation. Trump has set specific goals, including a 3-percent growth, improving America's collapsing infrastructure, and shrinking trade deficits.
To achieve their targets, China and the United States, the world's two largest economies and each other's top trade partners, have no better choice but to work more closely because of their highly intertwined economic and trade interests.
In 2016, their two-way goods trade was worth 578.6 billion U.S. dollars while two-way foreign direct investment passed 60 billion dollars.
However, both countries need a stable and peaceful environment at the national, regional as well as international levels for their continuous economic development. Beijing and Washington therefore require to deepen their trust and enhance cooperation on major regional and international issues.
On the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, a diplomatic settlement is in line with the vital stakes of all relevant parties, including China and the United States. Unchecked hostile policies, harsh rhetoric and military muscle flexing would offset any effort to reignite the hope for a real-deal negotiation.
Therefore, China and the United States, as well as other related countries, should work together, not against each other, to at least cool down the situation in the first place.
Climate change and rampant terrorist activities worldwide are also pressing issues of global concerns. In these two areas, Beijing and Washington have huge potential for cooperation as well.
Cooperation mechanisms can also be established not only between the two governments, but among their private sectors, academia and civil society.
Over the past year, Xi and Trump have maintained close communication by either face-to-face meetings, telephone conversations or message exchanges. This has helped the two leaders gain a better personal understanding of each other.
The two countries have also seen some real progress in bilateral ties via the four newly-established high-level dialogue mechanisms for diplomacy and security, the economy, social and cultural issues, and law enforcement and cybersecurity.
Trump's visit will be an opportunity for the two leaders to review the achievements made in bilateral ties, exchange opinions on their differences, and outline next steps to deepen cooperation.
If China and the United States uphold mutual benefit in their cooperation on an equal footing, they can work together to achieve greater gains, not only for themselves but also for the common prosperity of the wider world.
