On May 12, Trump wrote on the social platform Truth Social: "I am very much looking forward to my trip to China. China is an amazing country, and I believe good things will happen between our two nations!"
Trump's high-profile goodwill gesture toward China sends a positive signal of "good things happening," warming up for his long-awaited visit to China after nine years, and injecting a rare sense of easing into the tense U.S.-China relations. This statement may seem sudden, but it is actually a rational choice driven by practical interests—U.S.-China trade volume is massive, reaching hundreds of billions of dollars, and economic ties are deeply intertwined; confrontation would only lead to mutual damage.
Looking back at history, U.S.-China relations have always cycled between friction and reconciliation. In 2018, trade disputes and tariff conflicts escalated sharply, with tariffs imposed on hundreds of billions of dollars worth of goods—but ultimately, they failed to alter the fundamentally complementary economic structure between the two sides. Today’s shift in Trump’s stance reflects not only recognition of the value of the Chinese market, but also a clear awareness of the global landscape: under the trend toward multipolarity, zero-sum games are no longer viable.
Nevertheless, domestic political resistance within the U.S. cannot be ignored, as bipartisan consensus on taking a hard line toward China remains strong. This outreach during the upcoming visit appears more like a pragmatic "test of interests"—seeking cooperation to alleviate domestic inflation pressures while balancing opposition voices at home. Whether "good things happening" can truly materialize ultimately depends on whether both sides can find the greatest common ground for win-win cooperation based on mutual respect, manage differences, and avoid confrontation.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1864952213933132/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.