China-U.S. relations to move from sloganeering to implementation: expert

During Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to the U.S. last week, the phrase “constructive relationship of strategic stability” was at the forefront of his discussions with U.S. President Donald Trump.

David Lampton, former president of the National Committee on United States-China Relations, said the phrase serves a valuable role as a slogan, but more needs to be done to improve the critical relationship between the two nations.

"To have a stable relationship, I think there needs to be a shared understanding of what the purpose and goal, shared goal, is. I think it's very important to have a slogan. And I think this has two very good words - ‘constructive’, ‘strategic’ relationship. So, I think that's a fine, general Kou Hao, or slogan. But I don't think, frankly speaking, we are tackling the issues yet fully. We've talked about them a little, but we haven't made much progress on them, the ones that will in fact make our relationship more strategically reassuring to each country and more constructive,” he said.

Despite their differences, China and the U.S. can find shared interests across a wide range of affairs, with tackling global hotspot issues among the priorities, Lampton said. Solving these problems, he added, is not exclusively for either side's own interest but benefits both within a larger framework.

"Certainly we have a whole bundle of security, military related kinds of issues and both sides have their own worries in that domain, but I think we have some shared interests there. So certainly military is one thing. Certainly economic, trade, but also global financial management. And also the military and the economic are related. We both need to be managing hotspots, whether it's the Red Sea area or it's the Strait of Hormuz, we need to solve these problems not as a favor to each other, but in the interests of the broader system which benefits us both. So I think what we need to do now is move from a slogan to implementation of increasingly important things in that domain,” he said.

President 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.

The two leaders reached a series of accords spanning a wide range of areas during the visit, with an overarching agreement to build a constructive relationship of strategic stability based on respect, fairness and reciprocity.

China-U.S. relations to move from sloganeering to implementation: expert

Cities across China are decorating landmark sites with national flags and floral displays as National Day is around the corner.

Yuzhong District of southwest China's Chongqing City is displaying over 2,000 flags alongside carefully arranged floral landscapes covering main roads, commercial hubs, and bridges. In Shexian County of east China's Anhui Province, red flags are fluttering amid the Huizhou Ancient City's floral greenery.

At the Wenshan Dongshan Park in southwest China's Yunnan Province, citizens unfurled a giant 24-by-16 meter national flag, singing vibrant songs to express their heartfelt wishes. Cities such as Chengdu in southwest China, Taiyuan in north China, and Yichang in central China are also showcasing the five-star flag to usher in the holiday.

Flower displays bloom throughout streets and parks, with cities of Fuzhou in the east and Daqing in the northeast hosting themed floral exhibitions that brighten public spaces. Markets bustle with activity as fresh produce flows steadily. In Zhongmu, Henan Province in central China, trucks loaded with pomegranate, honey tangerines and kiwi line up early to meet demand. In Urumqi City of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, flower markets bloom with over a thousand varieties meeting diverse consumer preferences.

Ahead of the holiday, Hong Kong's streets have been adorned with bright national and special administrative region (SAR)'s flags alongside large National Day posters. Community groups are holding cultural activities featuring traditional crafts to celebrate the 77th founding anniversary of the People's Republic of China.

In Macao, national flags wave at border checkpoints, streets, parks and squares, paired with celebratory banners creating a lively National Day atmosphere.

Cities across China adorned for National Day celebrations