Greater exchanges crucial for deepening trust between peoples

President Xi Jinping's state visit to the United States from Wednesday to Friday once again draws global attention to arguably the world's most consequential bilateral relationship. While official interactions guide strategic stability, societal trust ensures resilience. People-to-people diplomacy — engaging governments, think tanks, media, businesses and civil society — goes beyond limitations to foster shared understanding and trust between the people of the two countries through dialogue, cooperation and cultural exchanges.

People's diplomacy relies on "soft" approaches, helping countries perceive each other's genuine concerns as reasonable and their people as trustworthy, thus breaking down stereotypes. This reduces the risk of misinterpreting official signals and prevents security dilemmas from escalating. Establishing regular collaborative networks among think tanks, universities and businesses on issues such as climate change, public health and artificial intelligence ethics can strengthen societal bonds, serving as a ballast when official relations hit rough waters.

Ahead of the summit, mainstream public opinion in the United States reflects cautious optimism for pragmatic stability, with bipartisan consensus on managing differences, avoiding conflict and pursuing cooperation. This presents a valuable opportunity for people-to-people diplomacy.