In a notable departure from past practice, Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message to US President Donald Trump on the occasion of the United States' Independence Day, marking the 250th anniversary of the nation's founding.
Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning confirmed in Beijing on Monday that Xi, representing the Chinese government and people, had extended the message to President Trump. Typically, Beijing does not publicize such presidential greetings on July 4.
This unprecedented gesture follows a series of diplomatic efforts aimed at stabilizing the often volatile relations between China and the US. At a summit held in Beijing in May, Xi told Trump that the "common interests between China and the United States are bigger than our differences."
During these talks, Xi emphasized the importance of cooperation rather than confrontation, urging both countries to avoid the so-called "Thucydides Trap," a theory suggesting that the risk of conflict increases when a rising power threatens to displace an established one.
The message and recent diplomatic exchanges underscore a desire from Beijing to establish a more steady and cooperative path in major-country relations with the US.
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