What Happened When Xi Met Trump in Zhongnanhai?

Here are the key reports and articles from the People’s Daily’s edition on Monday, May 18, 2026.

Page 1: At the top of the page is a report on Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin sending congratulatory letters to the tenth China-Russia Expo, which opened in Harbin. Xinhua reports:

“Pointing out that this year marks the 30th anniversary of the China-Russia strategic partnership of coordination and the 25th anniversary of the signing of the China-Russia Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation, Xi said bilateral cooperation in various fields had been continuously deepened and solidified, achieving fruitful results thanks to joint efforts of the two countries. It is hoped that this expo will serve as an opportunity for various sectors of the two countries to leverage their geographical proximity and complementary advantages, deepen all-round practical cooperation, further promote the economic and social development, and continuously enhance the well-being of the two peoples, thereby making contributions to the steady and long-term development of the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era, Xi said in the letter.”

Next, there’s a report on Xi’s new instructions on promoting the high-quality development of philosophy and the social sciences. It says:

Xi said that “since the 18th Party Congress, the philosophy and social sciences front has conscientiously implemented the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee, adhered to the ‘Two Integrations, steadily advanced innovation in knowledge, theory, and methods, produced a batch of valuable research outcomes, and strongly served the overall work of the Party and the country. Xi Jinping emphasised that on the new journey, it is necessary to take Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as the guide, uphold and strengthen the Party’s overall leadership, deepen the systematised and scholarly research and interpretation of the Party’s innovative theories, accelerate the construction of an independent knowledge system of Chinese philosophy and social sciences, better answer the questions of China, the world, the people, and the times, strive to open up a new chapter of high-quality development in philosophy and social sciences, and contribute more wisdom and strength to the building of Chinese-style modernisation.”

中共中央总书记、国家主席、中央军委主席习近平近日就推动哲学社会科学高质量发展作出重要指示指出，党的十八大以来，哲学社会科学战线认真贯彻落实党中央决策部署，坚持“两个结合”，扎实推进知识创新、理论创新、方法创新，推出一批有价值的研究成果，有力服务了党和国家工作大局。习近平强调，新征程上，要以新时代中国特色社会主义思想为指导，坚持和加强党的全面领导，深化党的创新理论体系化学理化研究阐释，加快构建中国哲学社会科学自主知识体系，更好回答中国之问、世界之问、人民之问、时代之问，努力开创哲学社会科学高质量发展新局面，为中国式现代化建设贡献更多智慧和力量.

Next, there’s a feature piece on the Trump-Xi meeting, basically portraying Xi Jinping as the wise leader, offering Trump a path forward for US-China relations through the framework of “constructive strategic stability”, which is rooted in Chinese civilisational thought. The setting is the meeting in Zhongnanhai.

“Strolling amidst the ancient trees, sturdy, towering, and full of vigour, President Trump was in high spirits, and President Xi Jinping spoke with feeling: ‘They display life, they display history. Standing here elevates our spirit’. The majestic Great Hall of the People, the Temple of Prayer for Good Harvests with its double-eaved gleaming roof, and the tranquil valleys of Zhongnanhai with their winding paths…as these distinctively Chinese elements entered the lens of the international media, they also inspired the world to undertake a deeper, more profound interpretation of Chinese philosophy. The profound changes unseen in a century are accelerating in their evolution, with problems and challenges arriving one after another. China, rooted in the fertile soil of civilisation, is lighting up the lamp of thought for building a world of harmonious coexistence and shared destiny on this one planet, and is providing Chinese solutions to answer the questions of the times. The new positioning of China-US relations, i.e., of a ‘relationship of constructive strategic stability’, precisely draws wisdom from history, with an eye to transcending the ‘Thucydides Trap’ and pioneering a new paradigm of major-power relations.

‘Harmony among all nations’, ‘seeking common ground while reserving small differences’, ‘different paths running in parallel without conflicting with one another’...these cultural motifs shape China’s diplomacy. The discourse through which Xi Jinping envisions and guides China-US relations possesses the broad strategic vision of ‘one who grasps the greater can also encompass the smaller’, the meticulous practice of ‘do not refrain from doing good because it is small; do not commit evil because it is small’, the farsightedness of ‘if one does not advance daily, one retreats everyday’, and the profound insight of ‘following good is like climbing a mountain; following evil is like a collapse’… In writing a new history, the greatest source of confidence and the deepest foundation are the people. At the Temple of Heaven, Xi Jinping spoke in a measured and vivid way about the traditional Chinese idea that ‘the people are the foundation of the country; when the foundation is secure, the country is at peace’, vividly conveying the value connotation of the Chinese Communists. The people-centered thinking of Chinese civilisation shapes the underlying logic for handling relations between major powers. ‘In Chinese characters, the character for ‘person’ (人) is itself a shape of mutual support.’ China and the United States finding a correct way to get along ‘is what the people of the two countries desire and what the people of all countries in the world hope for’.”

一个镜头是15日上午，中南海小范围会晤。穿行于苍劲挺拔的古树间，特朗普总统兴致盎然，习近平主席有感而发：“展现生命，展现历史。站在这里，会升华我们的精神。”气势恢宏的人民大会堂、重檐琉光的祈年殿、曲径通幽的中南海静谷，当这些中国元素进入国际媒体的镜头，也引发了世界对中国理念的另一重深度解读。百年未有之大变局加速演进，问题挑战接踵。扎根文明沃土的中国，正在为建设一个和合共生、同球共济的世界点亮思想之光，提供回答时代命题的中国方案。中美关系的新定位——“建设性战略稳定关系”，正是从历史中汲取了智慧，着眼跨越“修昔底德陷阱”，开创大国关系新范式。协和万邦，求大同存小异，道并行而不相悖……这些文化符号建构着中国外交。习近平主席擘画和引领中美关系的论述，有“得其大者可以兼其小”的格局之大，有“不以善小而不为，不以恶小而为之”的践行之微，有“不日进，则日退”的目光之远，还有“从善如登，从恶如崩”的洞见之深……书写新历史，最大的底气、最深厚的根基是人民。在天坛，习近平主席娓娓道来“民为邦本、本固邦宁的中国传统思想”，生动传递了中国共产党人的价值坐标。中华文明的民本思想，塑造着处理大国关系的底层逻辑。“在汉字中，‘人’字就是一个相互支撑的形状。”中美走出一条正确相处之道，“是两国人民所愿和世界各国人民所盼”。

The second section of the article is also reflective of the changing mood in Beijing and its perceptions of the shift in Washington’s attitude It says that:

“‘Who can accompany President Donald Trump on his visit to China?’ On the eve of the visit, this once became a hot topic of discussion in American business circles. In the final list, there were those who had secured seats early on, as well as invitees who boarded midway. On the morning of the 14th, President Trump specifically arranged for the American entrepreneurs accompanying the visit to come to the meeting venue. He said to President Xi Jinping that the world’s top companies all wanted to come to China…‘every one of them says they want to come’. Entrepreneurs can be said to be especially sensitive to changes in the temperature of China-US relations. The trade war that once worried the world; it’s now been eight years since its outbreak. During this period, the world’s two largest economies have ‘fought and talked’, engaging in repeated contests and adjustments while gradually exploring ways to restabilise their economic and trade relations.

Two attitudes are competing. One is ‘decoupling and breaking chains’ and ‘small yard, high fence’; the other is openness and cooperation, mutual benefit and win-win outcomes. Which is superior and which inferior is obvious at a glance. The world has seen it, and the other side of the Pacific has also seen it: China cannot be crushed or defeated; it ‘has always grown through the baptism of wind and rain, and grown stronger through enduring trials.’

The latest statement made during President Trump’s visit to China may perhaps mark one kind of choice. ‘I have brought outstanding representatives of American business with me on this visit. They all respect and value China, and I actively encourage them to expand cooperation with China.’ He also stated that ‘I am willing to work together with President Xi to strengthen communication and cooperation, properly resolve differences, open the best US-China relationship in history, and create an even better future for the two countries’. The changes in economic and trade relations reflect the historic transformation in the pattern of China-US interactions.

What has happened in China during these years in which the trade war unsettled the world? Victory in the battle against poverty and the realisation of the dream of a moderately prosperous society in all respects wrote a human miracle that will shine in history; domestically produced large AI models and new applications amazed the world, as the world’s second-largest economy advances ceaselessly on the road of technological innovation; the green transition dared to lead the way, with new energy vehicles being sold around the world, to the extent that today more and more voices within the United States believe that shutting Chinese green products out will only cause America itself to miss this wave of global development…

In the blink of an eye, China-US relations have developed into what the United States sees as ‘a relationship between states that are nearly evenly matched in strength’ (近乎势均力敌的国家间的关系). During this visit, American entrepreneurs again emphasised ‘the China opportunity that cannot be missed’ and ‘the vast market of more than 1.4 billion people’. Quoting the saying ‘when many people add firewood, the flames rise high’, they believed that ‘the most important task at present is to find common goals and expand common interests.’ Xi Jinping’s attitude has remained consistent throughout: ‘China’s door of opening-up will only open wider and wider. American enterprises are deeply participating in China’s reform and opening-up, and China welcomes the United States to strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation with China.’ This is the magnanimity/stature of China.”

“谁能跟随特朗普总统访华？”访华前夕，这一度成为美国工商界热议的话题。最终的名单中，有早些时候锁定座位的，也有中途登机的受邀者。14日上午，特朗普总统专门安排陪同访华的美国企业家们来到会谈现场。他对习近平主席说，世界上最顶级的企业都想来中国，“他们每一个人都说要来”。企业家对中美关系的温度变化，可谓格外敏锐。那场一度让世界担忧的贸易战，爆发迄今已8个年头。这期间，世界前两大经济体“打打谈谈”，一次次较量和磨合，逐步探索重新稳定彼此经贸关系的方式。两种态度在角逐。一种是“脱钩断链”“小院高墙”，一种是开放合作、互利共赢。孰优孰劣一目了然。世界看到了，太平洋彼岸也看到了：中国是压不垮、打不倒的，“从来都是在风雨洗礼中成长、在历经考验中壮大”。特朗普总统访华期间最新的表态，或许标注了一种选择：“我此访带来了美国工商界杰出代表，他们都很尊重和重视中国，我积极鼓励他们拓展对华合作。”他同时表示：“我愿同习主席一道，加强沟通合作，妥善解决分歧，开启有史以来最好的美中关系，开创两国更加美好的未来。”经贸关系之变，映照着中美相处范式的历史性变迁。贸易战惊扰世界的这些年，中国发生了什么？脱贫攻坚战胜利、全面小康梦圆，书写了彪炳史册的人间奇迹；国产人工智能大模型、新应用惊艳世界，世界第二大经济体在科技创新之路上恒进不懈；绿色转型敢为人先，新能源汽车行销世界，以至于今天美国国内有越来越多声音认为，将中国绿色产品拒之门外，只会让自己错过这场全球发展浪潮……弹指一挥间，中美关系成长为美国眼中“近乎势均力敌的国家间的关系”。此行期间，美国企业家再次强调“不可错失的中国机遇”“14亿多人的大市场”，他们引用“众人拾柴火焰高”，认为“当前最重要的任务是找到共同目标、扩大共同利益”。习近平主席的态度一以贯之：“中国开放的大门只会越开越大，美国企业正在深度参与中国改革开放，中方欢迎美国对华加强互利合作。”这是中国气度。

The final section says:

“The prioritisation of matters in governance and administration is pivotal to determining success, and indeed, the future itself. What are China’s ‘most important’ priority matters? During this visit, President Xi Jinping spoke with President Donald Trump about ‘the opening year of China’s 15th FYP’ and ‘comprehensively advancing Chinese-style modernisation through high-quality development’. Becoming a better version of oneself is the fundamental support for coping with high winds and rough waves, and also the key to contributing more public goods to the world. For some time now, the itineraries of world leaders visiting China have shown increasingly clear new characteristics:

Mozambican President Chapo traveled to Banyan Village in Huzhu Tu Autonomous County, Haidong City, Qinghai Province, on the eastern edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, to learn about the stories of poverty alleviation and rural revitalisation in China’s remote regions; leaders of European countries such as Germany and Spain have visited Chinese innovative enterprises one after another, marvelling at the metamorphosis of ‘Made in China’; General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and Vietnam’s President To Lam took a high-speed rail train to Xiong’an, traversing north and south, experiencing the vitality and vigour of the ‘city of the future’, and sighing with admiration that ‘China has done a very good job in coordinated regional development’…

Whether the eastern coast or the western interior; whether the technological frontier or village farmsteads…these are all China. The image of China in the eyes of the world is becoming more three-dimensional and multidimensional. China, which steadfastly persists on the road of modernisation, has scenery everywhere. Why is it that in an international situation interwoven with transformation and turbulence, ‘going to China’ continues to witness an upsurge, and ‘cooperating with China’ has become an ever broader international consensus and action? The reason is simple: a major country that persists in following the great trends, shouldering great responsibilities, and walking the great way, continuously making new contributions to the world through its own new pioneering efforts, naturally possesses powerful magnetic attraction.”

治国理政序列中的轻重缓急，攸关成败和未来。何为中国“最重要的”优先级事项？此行期间，习近平主席同特朗普总统谈到了“中国‘十五五’开局之年”“以高质量发展全面推进中国式现代化”。做更好的自己，是应对风高浪急的根本依托，也是为世界贡献更多公共产品的关键所在。一段时间以来，世界各国领导人访问中国的日程，呈现出日渐清晰的新特点：莫桑比克总统查波前往位于青藏高原东缘的青海省海东市互助土族自治县班彦村，了解中国偏远地区脱贫攻坚和乡村振兴的故事；德国、西班牙等欧洲国家领导人，纷纷走进中国创新企业，为中国制造的蝶变而惊叹；越共中央总书记、国家主席苏林乘坐高铁列车，赴雄安、穿南北，体验“未来之城”的活力生机，感叹“中国的区域协调发展做得非常好”……或东部沿海，或西部内陆；或科技前沿，或村落农家……这些都是中国。世界眼中的中国形象，更趋立体多元。在现代化道路上笃行不怠的中国，处处皆风景。为何变乱交织的国际形势下，“到中国去”不断形成热潮，“与中国合作”成为更加广泛的国际共识与行动？道理很简单：一个坚持顺大势、担大义、行大道，不断以自身新开拓为世界作出新贡献的大国，自然具有强大的磁吸力.

While still on the Trump-Xi meeting, let’s look at the Fact Sheet released by the White House. It says:

• President Trump and President Xi agreed that the United States and China should build a constructive relationship of strategic stability on the basis of fairness and reciprocity. President Trump will welcome President Xi for a visit to Washington this fall. The two countries will support each other as the respective hosts of the G20 and APEC Summits later this year.

• Both leaders agreed Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, called to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and agreed that no country or organization can be allowed to charge tolls.

• President Trump and President Xi confirmed their shared goal to denuclearize North Korea.

• The Board of Trade will allow the United States Government and the Government of China to manage bilateral trade across non-sensitive goods.

• The Board of Investment will provide a government-to-government forum for discussing investment-related issues.

And then there are five specific deliverables:

• China will address U.S. concerns regarding supply chain shortages related to rare earths and other critical minerals, including yttrium, scandium, neodymium, and indium. China will also address U.S. concerns regarding prohibitions or restrictions on the sale of rare earth production and processing equipment and technologies.

• China approved an initial purchase of 200 American-made Boeing aircraft for Chinese airlines. This tranche of aircraft – China’s first commitment to purchase American-made Boeing aircraft since 2017 – will drive high-paying, high-skilled U.S. manufacturing jobs and enable the Chinese people to fly on American-made planes for decades to come.

• China will purchase at least $17 billion per year of U.S. agricultural products in 2026 (prorated), 2027, and 2028, in addition to the soybean purchase commitments that it made in October 2025.

• China restored market access for U.S. beef by renewing expired listings of more than 400 U.S. beef facilities and adding new listings. China will work with U.S. regulators to lift all suspensions of U.S. beef facilities.

• China resumed imports of poultry from U.S. states determined by the USDA to be free of highly pathogenic avian influenza.

If you read the Chinese Ministry of Commerce’s preliminary outcomes statement, which I covered yesterday, it does not mention numbers with regard to aircraft purchase or purchase of agricultural goods. Most importantly, the Chinese statement does not say anything specific about rare earths. And the US Fact Sheet does not talk about engines that the Chinese side referenced.

Page 2: There’s a report on Organization Department chief Shi Taifeng’s visit to Guizhou Province. The report says:

“Shi Taifeng went to Taijiang County, going deep into villages, communities, schools, hospitals, and enterprises, visiting grassroots cadres and the masses, and learning about the progress of the study and education campaign as well as the production and living conditions of the masses; at the county Party committee offices, he visited the special working team for the study and education campaign, learned about the progress of the work, and held a discussion meeting to hear opinions and suggestions.” 石泰峰来到台江县，深入乡村、社区和学校、医院、企业，看望基层干部群众，了解学习教育开展和群众生产生活情况；在县委机关，走访学习教育工作专班，了解工作开展情况，召开座谈会听取意见建议.

“Shi Taifeng pointed out that conducting study and education is an important task of Party building this year. It is necessary to effectively raise ideological understanding, deeply study and thoroughly comprehend General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important discussions on establishing and practicing a correct view of political achievements, as well as his vivid practices of upholding a correct view of political achievements during his time working in local positions, continuously improve Party spirit cultivation, and strengthen both the ideological consciousness and action consciousness for establishing and practicing a correct view of political achievements.

It is necessary to genuinely investigate and rectify in line with the actual conditions of various localities and levels, ensuring that problems are identified accurately, deeply, and concretely, seeing the people, seeing the matters, seeing the thinking behind them; establish a problem-list cancellation system, resolutely preventing paper rectification and sham rectification; continue to grasp typical cases, grasp ongoing cases, and grasp public notifications, drawing inferences from one instance to many and using cases to drive rectification; combine ‘rectifying at present’ with ‘establishing for the long term’, seeking out institutional weaknesses, and improving the establishment of regulations and systems.

It is necessary to focus on rectifying the prominent problem of ‘new officials disregarding old debts’, persist in narrow entry points and concrete approaches, be realistic and pragmatic, apply differentiated policies by category, steadily clean up in accordance with laws and regulations, and let the masses feel the changes. It is necessary to strengthen guidance and supervision. The guidance teams and supervision teams must focus on goals and tasks, carry forward a strict and solid work style, persist in jointly answering the same questions, go deep into the grassroots front line, genuinely discover problems and shortcomings, and push forward solid rectification and remediation.

It is necessary to tighten and consolidate the responsibilities of Party committees (Party leadership groups) at all levels, strengthen categorized guidance, and highlight the key focus of leading teams and leading cadres at and above the county-division level, especially the ‘top leaders’, using the ‘key minority’ to drive the ‘overwhelming majority’.”

石泰峰指出，开展学习教育是今年党的建设的重要任务。要切实提高思想认识，深学细悟习近平总书记关于树立和践行正确政绩观的重要论述和在地方工作期间坚持正确政绩观的生动实践，不断提升党性修养，增强树立和践行正确政绩观的思想自觉和行动自觉。要结合各地各级实际真查实改，做到问题找准找深找具体、见人见事见思想；建立问题清单销号制度，坚决防止纸面整改、虚假整改；继续抓典型抓现行抓通报，举一反三、以案促改；把“当下改”与“长久立”结合起来，查找制度短板，完善建章立制。要集中整治新官不理旧账突出问题，坚持小切口、具体化，实事求是、分类施策，依法依规稳步清理，让群众感受到变化。要加强指导督导，指导组和督导组要聚焦目标任务，弘扬严实作风，坚持同题共答，深入基层一线，真正发现问题和不足，推动抓实整改整治。要压紧压实各级党委（党组）责任，加强分类指导，突出县处级以上领导班子和领导干部特别是“一把手”这个重点，以“关键少数”带动“绝大多数”.

Page 3: There’s a report (English report) informing that Chinese, American and UAE police have carried out their first joint international law enforcement operation, targeting telecom and online fraud in Dubai. In the operation, police dismantled nine fraud dens and captured 276 suspects.

Page 15: I am not detailing it, but there’s a commentary pushing back against what it says is a Western narrative labelling China as a “net extractor” in terms of its engagement in Africa.