Xi Jinping says China–US ties affect over 8 billion people

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Chinese President Xi Jinping said that China–US relations concern the well-being of more than 1.7 billion people in the two countries and affect the interests of more than 8 billion people around the world.

Speaking about China–US relations, Xi Jinping referred to “more than 1.7 billion” and “more than 8 billion” people. He said: “China–US relations carry the well-being of more than 1.7 billion people in our two countries and affect the interests of more than 8 billion people around the world.”

On the evening of 14 May, Xi Jinping hosted a banquet at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing in honor of the visit of US President Donald Trump. In his welcoming remarks, Xi repeatedly cited population figures describing China, the United States, and the world: “more than 1.4 billion,” “more than 300 million,” “more than 1.7 billion,” and “more than 8 billion.”

Fifty-five years ago, “ping-pong diplomacy,” born out of people-to-people friendship, opened the door to the restoration of China–US relations after more than two decades of isolation and became a landmark event in modern international relations.

Xi Jinping has previously emphasized that the foundation of China–US relations was laid by the people of both countries, the door was opened by the people, the history was written by the people, and the future will also be created by the people of China and the United States.

During the current Beijing meeting of the two leaders, the word “people” was repeatedly used as a key concept in Xi’s remarks.

Understanding the meaning of the word “people,” it was said, is essential to understanding modern China and the Communist Party of China.

During a visit to the Temple of Heaven with Trump, Xi referred to the traditional Chinese idea that the people are the foundation of the state, and that a strong foundation ensures peace and prosperity.

He noted that the Communist Party of China Communist Party of China has inherited and developed human-centered ideas from Chinese civilization, consistently adhering to the principle of serving the people, which has earned it strong support and sincere trust from the population.

Understanding the meaning of “people,” Xi said, is also key to understanding the direction of China–US relations.

During talks with Trump, Xi asked three consecutive questions about the future of China–US relations. One of them was whether China and the United States, based on the well-being of their peoples and the future of humanity, can jointly create a better future for bilateral relations.

At the welcome banquet for Trump, the word “people” again featured prominently. Xi stressed that the Chinese and American peoples are great peoples, and that the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the slogan “Make America Great Again” could develop in parallel, complementing each other and benefiting the world.

Understanding “people,” Xi said, also helps explain the global significance of China–US relations.

As the world’s largest developing country and largest developed country respectively, China and the United States shape not only their own futures but also the fate of humanity. Xi said China–US relations “affect the interests of more than 8 billion people in the world.”

“Humanity is a community with a shared future; countries are interdependent, and all should seek maximum consensus for mutual and expanded benefit. This is China’s fundamental approach to the world and to China–US relations,” Xi has said previously.

China and the United States are the world’s two largest economies. Together, their combined economic output accounts for more than one-third of global GDP, and their trade volume makes up about one-fifth of global trade.

Ahead of the latest leaders’ meeting, economic and trade teams from China and the United States held a seventh round of consultations in South Korea, reaching what was described as “generally balanced and positive results.”

During talks with Trump, Xi noted that this was “good news for the peoples of both countries and for the world.”

A major power should act as a major power, he said, with broad vision and a sense of responsibility.

On 15 May, during a smaller-format meeting with Trump in Zhongnanhai, Xi stressed: “If China and the United States, on the basis of mutual respect, can achieve peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation and find the right path of interaction, it will meet the aspirations of the peoples of both countries and the expectations of the people of the world.”