Xi recalls ping-pong diplomacy, calls for stability in China-US relations
Beijing (ANTARA) - Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter in April 2026 for the event commemorating the 55th anniversary of the China-United States (US) ping-pong diplomacy.
Xi recalled the historic event of 1971, often described as “the small ball that moved the big world.”
More than half a century later, Xi described the story not merely as a historical memory, but as a reminder of the profound influence that stable China-US relations can have on the wider world.
In a meeting with Antony Blinken, the former US Secretary of State, in 2024, Xi put forward a concept inspired by traditional Chinese culture – “tong qiu gong ji” (“working together for common interests on the same planet”).
“The Earth is only this big, and humanity faces so many common challenges,” Xi stated. “As an old Chinese proverb says, ‘Passengers in the same boat must help each other.’ At present, I believe, ‘inhabitants of the same planet must help each other.’”
In their meeting in Busan, US President Donald Trump also acknowledged the importance of cooperation between the two countries, stating that China and the US can achieve great things for the world and attain success for years to come.
“There is no more important geopolitical relationship than the bilateral China-US relationship … with the greatest impact on global affairs,” said Robert Lawrence Kuhn, chairman of the Kuhn Foundation.
For both countries, stable China-US relations help eliminate various obstacles to domestic development.
On a broader scale, this holds profound significance for global stability and prosperity, according to Kuhn.
The moment further underscores the importance of relations between the two countries. In 2026, China will begin its 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030), while the US will commemorate the 250th anniversary of its founding.
Both countries will each host major global meetings, namely the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Meeting in Shenzhen and the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Miami, placing them at the centre of the international agenda.
In addition to principled issues and trade, observers also highlight several areas where cooperation remains vitally important for both sides, including climate change, narcotics eradication, and artificial intelligence.
For Xi, it is these countless small cooperative efforts that hold eternal significance. Xi once reminded Trump that for China and the US, “doing good, no matter how small, is always right, and doing bad, no matter how small, is always wrong.”
As mentioned by the Chinese leader on various occasions, China and the US, as two major countries, can shoulder their responsibilities and work together to achieve greater and more concrete things for the interests of both countries and the entire world.