The English-language China Daily (December 24) in an editorial said China-U.S. relations have undergone the most difficult period since the establishment of diplomatic relations and whether bilateral relations can get back on track is the focus of the world. It assured that 'China has no intention of changing the United States or replacing it. Likewise, the United States should not stick to its wishful thinking of changing China' and suggested that "In the spirit of seeking common ground while reserving differences, the two sides should take an accommodating attitude to each other's demands and concerns and explore new paths to dialogue and cooperation". The editorial recounted that 50 years after Dr. Henry Kissinger's secret trip to China and China and the United States resumed engagement, "bilateral relations have developed rapidly. The trade volume had grown from almost zero to more than US$ 500 billion in 2019, and a total of 72,500 U.S. companies have invested and run business in China. The assets of American companies in China exceeded US$ 700 billion and their annual sales in the country came in at about US$ 700 billion. Last month, 197 American companies participated in the third China International Import Expo (CIIE), ranking first among all countries in terms of the number of exhibits and the total exhibition area" The editorial claimed that Sino-US cooperation had been mutually beneficial and to the world, including in the handling of international and regional hotspot issues, counter-terrorism and non-proliferation, as well as the response to the international financial crisis and the prevention and control of major infectious diseases. Regretting that the US had now "deliberately negated the history of bilateral relations, maliciously attacked the Communist Party of China (CPC) and China's political system, took provocative actions against the country's core interests, and grossly interfered in China's internal affairs", it said "the two sides should keep an essential bottom line in mind. The CPC is the ruling party of China, and it enjoys a high approval rate of 95 per cent among the Chinese people. It is a force leading and driving China-U.S. relations forward". The editorial said, "The top priority for the two countries now is to sit down, have a comprehensive, candid and in-depth dialogue, clarify the strategic intentions of both sides, and rebuild mutual trust".
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