China's top political advisor Wang Huning on Monday called for firmly following the right path for solving ethnic issues with Chinese characteristics and pooling mighty force to advance Chinese modernization.
Wang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, made the statement when meeting with a delegation of 150 representatives of ethnic minority groups from across China.
Noting that the cause of China's ethnic unity and progress faces new developments and tasks during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), Wang urged the representatives to study and implement the law on promoting ethnic unity and progress and lead people of all ethnic groups to maintain and safeguard ethnic unity.
Wang called for further work to foster a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation, promote the common progress of all ethnic groups towards socialist modernization, and facilitate extensive exchanges and integration among all ethnic groups.
He urged the representatives to stay unswervingly committed to the country's modernization drive and contribute to the high-quality development of the ethnic minority areas, in efforts to lead people of all ethnic groups to jointly create a better life.
The delegation consisted of individual role models and representatives of model units honored for their work in promoting ethnic unity and progress at the provincial-level and above since 2024.
China's top political advisor meets representatives of ethnic minority groups
Competition between the United States and China is healthy when it is fair, but dangerous when it becomes an effort to trip or eliminate the other side, David Lampton, former president of the National Committee on United States-China Relations, said in commenting on Chinese President Xi Jinping's just-concluded state visit to the U.S.
Xi paid a state visit to the United States on Sept 23-25 at the invitation of President Donald Trump. It was Xi's first state visit to the country in 11 years and followed Trump's state visit to China back in May.
During the trip, Xi had an in-depth exchange of views Trump on bilateral relations as well as major international and regional issues of common concern.
The two leaders reached a consensus on eight outcomes which span a wide range of areas, including the economy and trade, technology, people-to-people exchanges and international situations. A major one is that the two sides have agreed to build a constructive relationship of strategic stability based on respect, fairness and reciprocity.
Speaking at a welcome ceremony hosted by Trump at the White House on Thursday, Xi said that China and the U.S. should embrace healthy competition, avoid confrontation, and jointly explore the right way to get along.
Reflecting on the nature of competition between major countries, Lampton outlined three distinct forms it can take.
"There are different forms of competition. There's the form of competition, like a tracks race, a running race. You all line up at the same line, the gun fires and whoever is the most capable wins at the end of the race. But there's the kind where the gun goes off and I try to trip, or you try to trip the other guy. And then there's the kind of competition where you're trying to eliminate the other, right?" he said in an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN) on Friday.
Lampton made clear which form he believes should define the China-U.S. relationship.
"Obviously, I think competition is good in that first sense. That's what economic progress, scientific innovation [means]. It was [Thomas] Edison [who] made fortune out of inventing the light bulb. Inventors were motivated by their desire for knowledge, but also money. So, I think competition is basically human life, but I think we need to have the kind of competition if we're not helping the other, in some case through partnership and so forth, we're at least not trying to trip them," he added.
During the visit, Xi and Trump agreed to support each other as China will host the 2026 APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in November and the United States will host the G20 Leaders' Summit in December, expressing intention that they will attend each other's event.
Lampton said the focus now should be on putting those commitments into practice to build a stronger foundation for future engagement.
"[It is] very important for both sides to do what they say. If it's only for two months, at least let's both do what we say for two months and then that'll create a better foundation when we get together for the next two meetings that you just mentioned," said Lampton.
China-U.S. relations expert urges fair competition, warns against "tripping" each other
