By Zhong Sheng, People’s Daily

On Oct. 30, Chinese President Xi Jinping met with his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump in Busan, South Korea. The two heads of state held in-depth discussions on strategic and long-term issues concerning China-U.S. relations, as well as major topics of shared interest. 

Both sides agreed to maintain interactions on a regular basis, enhance cooperation in economic, trade, energy and other fields and encourage more people-to-people exchanges. 

The international community has followed this meeting closely, viewing it as a positive signal to the world. It is believed that this meeting has provided new guidance and fresh impetus for the stable development of China-U.S. relations, and injected valuable certainty into a world undergoing turbulence and transformation.

Head-of-state diplomacy is the compass and anchor of China-U.S. relations, playing an irreplaceable role in providing strategic guidance for the relationship. Xi and Trump have maintained long-term interactions and mutual respect, which has become the most valuable strategic asset in China-U.S. relations.

Since the beginning of this year, the two presidents have maintained close engagement through three direct phone calls. When challenges arise in China-U.S. relations, such high-level communication enables both nations to transcend immediate differences, prevent misunderstandings and steady the bilateral relationship – safeguarding the relationship’s overall stability and positive trajectory.

This year witnessed complex developments in bilateral economic ties. Guided by the important consensus reached between the two heads of state, the two sides’ economic and trade teams conducted five rounds of consultations, successfully establishing frameworks for issue resolution. 

During this latest meeting, the two presidents held substantive discussions on trade relations and committed to enhanced cooperation. The relevant understandings and arrangements reached by the two teams during the Kuala Lumpur consultations have served as a “stabilizer” for both the Chinese and U.S. economies, as well as the world economy. 

This progress demonstrates that as long as both sides fully and faithfully implement the important consensus reached by the two presidents, and continue discussions in the spirit of equality, mutual respect and mutual benefit, they can continuously shorten the list of problems and lengthen the list of cooperation, and ensure that economic and trade ties remain the ballast and engine of China-U.S. relations.

China and the United States should be partners and friends. That is what history has taught us and what reality needs. Given different national conditions, it is normal for the two countries to have frictions. What matters most is how to view and handle them properly. Both sides should focus on the bigger picture and the long-term benefits of cooperation.

At present, there is a good momentum in China’s economic development. In the first three quarters of this year, the country’s GDP grew by 5.2 percent, demonstrating strong resilience and vitality. For more than seven decades, China has been working from generation to generation on the same blueprint to make it a reality. It has no intention to challenge or supplant anyone. Its focus has always been on managing its own affairs well, improving itself, and sharing development opportunities with all countries across the world. And that is an important secret to China’s success, which is in no way at odds with the United States’ aspiration to “make America great again.”

At its fourth plenary session, the 20th CPC Central Committee deliberated over and adopted the recommendations for the economic and social development plan over the next five years, which has drawn broad international attention and positive responses. China will further deepen reform across the board, expand opening up, and promote higher-quality economic growth while achieving an appropriate increase in economic output. This will also expand the space for cooperation between China and the United States.

As long as the two sides uphold mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation, China and the United States can achieve mutual success and shared prosperity.

The current international landscape is marked by transformation and turbulence. The world once again stands at a crossroads. As two major countries with global influence, China and the United States shoulder special responsibilities. Their positive interactions in regional and global affairs are key to addressing the many global challenges that continue to emerge. 

There is good potential for the two countries to work together on combating illegal immigration and telecom fraud, anti-money laundering, artificial intelligence, and responding to infectious diseases. Through cooperation under both bilateral and multilateral frameworks, China and the United States can accomplish more great and concrete things for the good of the two countries and the whole world, and demonstrate the shared sense of responsibility as major countries.

China will host APEC 2026, and the U.S. the G20 summit next year. The two sides can support each other in making both summits productive to promote world economic growth and improve global economic governance.

A stable, healthy and sustainable China-U.S. relationship serves the long-term interests of both countries and meets the common expectations of the international community. The Busan meeting between the two heads of state once again proved that the common interests between China and the United States far outweigh their differences, and that cooperation is the only right choice for both sides. 

The lessons of history, the needs of reality, and the call of the future all point to the same conclusion that the planet is broad enough to accommodate both China and the United States. The two countries can be partners and friends. 

China hopes that both sides will work together to earnestly implement the consensus reached at the Busan meeting, enhance dialogue and communication, properly manage differences, expand mutually beneficial cooperation, and build a more solid foundation for China-U.S. relations, so as to bring greater benefits to both peoples and contribute more to the world.

(Zhong Sheng is a pen name often used by People’s Daily to express its views on foreign policy and international affairs.)

By Bai Xue, Wang Qi

Recently, five containers carrying 200 electric tricycles departed from Xishan district, Wuxi, east China’s Jiangsu province, making their way to Shanghai Port for shipment to Ecuador.

This marks the first time a motorcycle manufacturing company in Wuxi has exported its products to Ecuador. The electric tricycles produced by this company have already been sold to over 40 countries and regions, with exports reaching nearly 70,000 units this year, a 40 percent increase compared to the previous year.

At the end of 2023, a short video went viral on social media unexpectedly, in which a Chinese woman gifts an electric tricycles to her father-in-law in the United States, and the elderly American man drives the vehicle around his small town, attracting widespread attention with its unique design and iconic notification sound that says “Please be aware, the vehicle is reversing.”

This video quickly made electric tricycles a sensation overseas.

From North American neighborhoods to Southeast Asian markets, from South American estates to Central Asian towns, the Chinese-produced electric tricycles are becoming another new symbol of Chinese manufacturing going global.

Fengxian county in Xuzhou, Jiangsu province, is known for its booming agriculture, where fruit orchards were once the primary source of income for locals. In the 1980s, pedal-powered tricycles gradually became a common household item to make the transportation of fruits easier.

Around 2000, electric scooters quietly emerged. Kang Yunqing, a farmer in Fengxian county with a knack for innovation, traveled to many places to gather motors, batteries, and controllers, eventually modifying a pedal-powered tricycle into an electric one. In 2002, Kang set up an electric vehicle factory. Subsequently, the electric tricycle industry in Fengxian county gradually took off and grew into one of the largest electric tricycle production bases in China.

Today, Fengxian county has developed a comprehensive industrial chain and supply chain system for electric tricycles. The county is home to over 1,000 enterprises engaged in complete tricycle manufacturing and parts and components production, accounting for more than 60 percent of the domestic electric tricycle market and over 95 percent of the motor market. Their products are exported to more than 130 countries and regions.

A reason for the growing preference for electric tricycles among overseas consumers is their cost-effectiveness.

“In the United States, many farm owners are enthusiastic about purchasing electric tricycles. Previously, their main transportation and hauling tools were pickup trucks, which cost over $20,000 each. In contrast, an electric tricycle only costs a few thousand dollars. It is flexible, convenient, and well-suited for short-distance transportation and farm tool handling on farms,” said Ni Xiaofeng, general manager of a motorcycle manufacturing company in Wuxi, as he crunched the numbers. 

Additionally, apart from the low purchase cost, electric tricycles are powered by electricity, making their operational costs significantly lower than those of fuel-powered vehicles. They also align with the trend of green and eco-friendly development, making them highly popular among overseas users.

In response to diverse demands in the global market, Chinese electric tricycle manufacturers have demonstrated remarkable flexibility and innovation.

Liu Yinhu, head of a company in the electric tricycle industry in Jiangsu, explained that his company already exports products to 15 countries and regions. “We make adaptive modifications for different markets, such as anti-rust treatments and battery range enhancements,” he said.

From English-language labels to compliance with local safety standards, from anti-rust treatments for tropical regions to battery insulation for cold climates, every detail reflects the meticulousness of Chinese manufacturing.

Beyond electric tricycles, various specialized electric vehicles from China, including delivery vans, sightseeing cars, sanitation trucks, and high-pressure cleaning vehicles, are meeting the needs of global customers across different application scenarios.

The export of Chinese electric tricycles is a vivid example of the transformation and upgrading of Chinese manufacturing. By leveraging cost-effectiveness to enter the market and innovation to secure growth, these Chinese products have not only been revitalized but have also showcased the innovative strength of Chinese manufacturing to the world.

By Julio Ceballos

In the 21st century, China is one of the most important players on the international stage. It plays a key role in global economic development, scientific and technological innovation, and the fight against climate change. Gaining a deeper understanding of how China interacts with the world is not only an academic exercise but also essential for anticipating the trajectory of global affairs.

The term “Xuanji” originates from an ancient Chinese astronomical instrument used to track the stars. Just as early astronomers aligned their decisions with celestial movements, Europe today needs to recalibrate its strategic orientation. “Xuanji Tu” (The Celestial Compass) is the title of a palindrome poem written by Su Hui, a talented woman of the Southern and Northern Dynasties (420-589). This carries symbolic weight: there are multiple ways to respond to global challenges, and China’s development experience shows that modernization does not follow a single path. My new book, El calibrador de estrellas, which means Xuanji Tu, explores how China, its enterprises, and its people navigate an increasingly complex global landscape.

One of the most important lessons I have learned from China is that development is not the product of spontaneous impulses, but the result of decades-long, deliberate efforts. In Europe, political vision is often constrained by election cycles, with frequent leadership changes disrupting long-term initiatives. China exhibits strategic continuity: long-term goals remain constant, and the actions to achieve them are sustained over time.

After 18 years of living and working in China, I have come to observe its development with a focused and unbiased perspective, looking beyond surface impressions to understand deeper motivations and values. I have also come to see China not as a monolithic entity nor as an unfathomable enigma, but as a vibrant mosaic where tradition and innovation coexist, pragmatism aligns with ambition, and strategic patience is reinforced by executional efficiency.

The book El calibrador de estrellas is not intended to be an exhaustive analysis or a definitive guide. Rather, it is an invitation – through concrete experiences – to share lessons from China that can resonate with any society: the importance of long-term planning, investing in human capital, fostering innovation with clear objectives, and nurturing collective resilience. It is neither a gesture of blind admiration nor of idealized comparison, but an earnest effort to build a bridge between Europe and China. In an increasingly interdependent world, the true challenge lies in fostering mutual understanding and moving forward together.