Gavin Newsom (2nd L, Front), governor of the U.S. state of California, greets a visitor at the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 26, 2023. (Xinhua/Xing Guangli)
For the sake of the two countries and the whole world at large. China welcomes more Newsoms to come.
by Xinhua writers Li Chenxi, Wang Jialin
BEIJING, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- "I want two of them," said California Governor Gavin Newsom, the first U.S. governor to visit China since 2020, while taking a test drive of an electric BYD vehicle Tuesday.
This has gone viral on China's social media.
The day after, during talks with the governor, Chinese President Xi Jinping shared his fresh perspective on China-U.S. relations: the vitality lies in sub-national areas, showcasing his welcome for U.S. officials like Newsom.
Within the scope of sub-national cooperation and people-to-people exchanges, California, boasting the U.S. largest population of Chinese Americans, has been and "is willing to be China's long-term, stable and strong partner," according to Newsom.
The governor of the world's fifth-largest economy is among a recent slew of U.S. officials and businessmen coming to China.
Following U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's trip to Beijing weeks earlier, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen visited China in July, resulting in the first meeting of the China-U.S. Economic Working Group held on Tuesday.
Later, China received the U.S. special presidential envoy for climate John Kerry, U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. Business magnates, including Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and Apple CEO Tim Cook, also visited China this year.
After meeting Newsom in Beijing on Wednesday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, flew to Washington and met with Blinken on Thursday.
The frequent interactions serve as positive signals for China-U.S. relations, which have been strained due to Washington's containment policy towards China.
Gavin Newsom, governor of the U.S. state of California, visits the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 26, 2023. (Xinhua/Xing Guangli)
China welcomes all those visits and interactions. The two countries should "not only resume dialogue, but also have in-depth and comprehensive dialogue to stabilize bilateral relations," Wang said in Washington.
"No other bilateral relationship is more important than the one between the United States and China," said Newsom, dismissing "divorce" as "not an option." China is like-minded.
Despite Washington's unscrupulous containment, China has been consistent in how to get along with the United States -- mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation.
The two countries have differences, but also have shared interests and challenges that need to be addressed together. As the world's two major powers, the United States and China must find a way to get along for the benefit of all.
High on the agenda of Newsom's visit is climate, a global issue endangering human future. The governor has just signed a new climate-focused Memorandum of Understanding on Wednesday, applauding China's achievements in development over the past few decades, not least in the field of new energy in recent years.
In the fields of promoting green development and addressing climate change, as Xi has said, the two countries enjoy great potential for cooperation.
Taking cooperation of this kind as a new highlight, China hopes both sides can make further progress in stabilizing and growing China-U.S. ties.
As Xi put it in a congratulatory message to the annual Gala Dinner of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations on Wednesday, "As two major countries in the world, whether China and the United States can find a right path of state-to-state interactions bears on world peace and development, and the future of mankind."
For the sake of the two countries and the whole world at large. China welcomes more Newsoms to come.■