Future progress on major China-US agenda items such as bilateral trade and TikTok operations in the United States depends on whether Washington will faithfully follow through on what it has promised during the latest China-US heads-of-state phone conversation, observers said.
They made the remarks after President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump held their third phone talks this year on Friday evening. The first call was made in January and the second in June.
Analysts described the talks as constructive, as both leaders highlighted the global implications of the two-way ties between the world’s two largest economies.
Xi said the two nations “are fully capable of helping each other succeed and prospering together”, and Trump said the two countries working together can get many great things done that are good for world peace and stability.
The two leaders also endorsed the recent consultation between Chinese and US officials on the economy and trade, and expressed hopes for commercial negotiations regarding TikTok operations in the US.
Annual bilateral trade between the two sides exceeded $680 billion last year. China is now the US’ second-largest source of imports and third-largest market for its exports, according to the Chinese embassy in the US.
Wu Xinbo, dean of Fudan University’s Institute of International Studies, said that Beijing has long urged Washington to stop suppressing China’s technology-driven sectors, and the US has its own demands as well.
“The heads-of-state talks — either on the phone or face to face — could help both sides arrive at more agreements and stabilize their economic ties,” he said.
“The Friday talks set the tone for the next step in developing the ties: advancing talks on the economy and trade while working together to keep the ties afloat. The expected result is to veer the relationship away from the drastic ups and downs that took place earlier this year,” he said.
Su Xiaohui, deputy director of the Department of American Studies at the China Institute of International Studies, said the latest conversation was “pragmatic and constructive”, and Beijing’s position on the TikTok case “reflects China’s lasting efforts to secure its rightful interests and growth in the long term”.
“Through the talks, China has made clear that it supports Chinese companies’ adding investment in the US, which the US side has aimed for, while Washington should shape an inviting climate for investors, make the play fair, and achieve a win-win situation, rather than forcing a deal or blackmailing,” she said.
Over the past two weeks, the world has seen several high-level dialogues take place between China and the US in various areas, such as the latest round of China-US economic and trade talks in Madrid, Spain, a phone talk between Foreign Minister Wang Yi and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and a video call between Minister of National Defense Dong Jun and US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
On Sunday, Premier Li Qiang met a visiting delegation of US lawmakers, led by Representative Adam Smith, a Democrat from the US state of Washington, in Beijing. Li said China is willing to work with the US to address each other’s concerns through communication in the spirit of equality, respect and mutual benefit.
Li said that China and the US should be partners for joint development, treat each other sincerely, empower each other and achieve mutual success, adding that Washington should meet Beijing halfway and jointly advance the ties on the right track.
Li also said the phone conversations between Xi and Trump this year reinforced bilateral dialogue and cooperation and provided strategic guidance for the China-US ties’ development in the next phase.
Sourabh Gupta, a senior fellow at the Institute for China-America Studies, said the phone call on Friday “represents a further easing of the strain in bilateral ties” caused by Washington’s imposition of unilateral tariffs during the first four months of this year.
“China has conveyed its receptivity to a large market purchase package. … America needs to come to the table with its quid pro quo,” he said.
Diao Daming, a professor of US studies at Renmin University of China’s School of International Relations, said the conversation on Friday “confirms the validity of China-US joint efforts in stabilizing their ties through communication, and projects good faith in managing and controlling factors that may destabilize the ties”.
On Friday, Xi told Trump that the Chinese people “will never forget the valuable support provided by the United States and other anti-fascist allies “during World War II, and Trump said that China’s recent Victory Day parade was phenomenal and beautiful.
Li Haidong, a professor of US studies at China Foreign Affairs University, said, “Xi conveyed China’s willingness to cherish peace and usher in the future, emphasized to the US side the importance of shaping a proper view of history, and reminded both countries of their responsibilities as major countries.”
China Daily
