Beijing rolled out a red carpet on Wednesday to welcome US President Donald Trump for a much-anticipated summit with President Xi Jinping, as the world looks to the two largest economies for greater stability. — Photo China Daily/ANN

Mo Jingxi

BEIJING — Beijing rolled out a red carpet on Wednesday to welcome US President Donald Trump for a much-anticipated summit with President Xi Jinping, as the world looks to the two largest economies for greater stability.

Trump arrived in the Chinese capital on Wednesday evening, beginning his three-day state visit to China. Vice-President Han Zheng greeted him at the airport.

The trip marks the first state visit to China by a sitting president of the United States in nearly nine years and follows Xi and Trump’s meeting in Busan, Republic of Korea, last October, which helped to set the tone for efforts to stabilize and improve China-US relations.

The upcoming Xi-Trump summit is seen as another important moment in head-of-state diplomacy, which has played a strategic guiding role in China-US relations.

Over the years, Xi has repeatedly stressed that the China-US relationship is among the most important bilateral relationships in the world, and that the two countries must find the right way to get along.

His message has been consistent: While China-US cooperation can enable the two countries to achieve major undertakings serving their own interests and those of the world, confrontation would spell disaster for both countries and the wider world.

Analysts said the high-level engagement between Xi and Trump will be closely watched as to whether the two sides can keep the “giant ship” of China-US relations on a steady course, manage differences through dialogue, and expand practical cooperation, thereby injecting greater certainty into a turbulent world.

For a relationship as significant and complex as that between China and the US, direction matters as much as momentum.

During the meeting with Trump in Busan, Xi said, “You and I are at the helm of China-US relations. In the face of winds, waves and challenges, we should stay the right course, navigate through the complex landscape, and ensure the steady sailing forward of the giant ship of China-US relations.”

In their phone conversation last year, Xi said that recalibrating the direction of the giant ship of China-US relations requires the two sides to take the helm and set the right course, adding that it is particularly important to steer clear of various disturbances and disruptions.

Zhiqun Zhu, a professor of political science and international relations and director of the China Institute at US-based Bucknell University, said the “giant ship” metaphor highlights both the complexity of the relationship and the importance of guiding it in the right direction.

“It’s a top-down approach, with leaders on both sides playing a pivotal role,” Zhu said. “Only when the general direction is set can the relationship move forward.”

Zhu said that maintaining the momentum of high-level engagement is crucial for the stability and predictability of China-US relations. Leaders on both sides, he said, should be commended for overcoming difficulties, lowering tensions and moving the relationship forward.” — China Daily/ANN