On February 10, 2026, the Chinese Embassy in the United States held the “Galloping Steadily Toward Progress in the Year of the Horse” 2026 Chinese New Year Reception.

Ambassador Xie said in his remarks that in the past year, China-U.S. relations witnessed ups and downs, and forged ahead through the waves. From the smooth transition at the start of the year, to rising tensions amid the tariff and trade war, and to stabilization after the Busan Summit, China-U.S. relations realized overall and dynamic stability under the strategic guidance of our two Presidents. This did not come easily, and could not have been achieved without the joint efforts of multiple departments and people from various sectors in both our countries. For instance, Senator Steve Daines and Congressman Adam Smith respectively led a delegation to visit China last year on two ice-breaking trips, which involved senators and congressmen from both parties.

Ambassador Xie said that what happened in the past year has again proven that, dialogue is better than confrontation, cooperation is better than zero sum, and stability is better than volatility. It is an established truth that our two countries gain from cooperation and lose from confrontation. Be it a tariff, trade or tech war, or an industrial, resource or geopolitical war, all would only hit a dead end and serve no one’s interest. A steady, sound and sustainable China-U.S. relationship serves the fundamental interests of both our peoples, and meets the shared expectation of the international community. It is therefore the right path our two sides should pursue together.

Quoting a Chinese proverb, “A year’s plan starts with spring,” Ambassador Xie pointed out that now is the opportune moment for China and the United States to build consensus and embark on a new journey. Last week, President Xi Jinping and President Donald Trump had another phone call, recalibrating again and charting the course of bilateral relations for the year ahead. We should resolutely implement the important common understandings reached by our leaders, work in the same direction, and strive to make 2026 an important year where our two major countries explore a right way to get along based on mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation.