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After China released an investigation report on Volt Typhoon, the US, in order to cover up the evidence, instructed related companies to change the content of report they released previously, completely disregarding the traces left during the operation, the Global Times learned on Sunday. However, the US Embassy in China and company involved stayed silent when the Global Times reached for comments.

On May 24, 2023, the cybersecurity authorities from The Five Eyes countries - the US, the UK, Australia, Canada and New Zealand, issued a joint cybersecurity advisory, claiming that they had discovered a cluster of activities of interest associated with a "China state-sponsored cyber actor," known as Volt Typhoon, and these activities "affected networks across US critical infrastructure sectors."

In response, China's National Computer Virus Emergency Response Center (CVERC), National Engineering Laboratory for Computer Virus Prevention Technology and 360 Digital Security Group conducted a joint investigation and further analysis found that Volt Typhoon has more correlation with ransomware group and other cybercriminals.

After the release of the investigation report on "Volt Typhoon" in April this year, the Chinese joint investigation team continued to track the actions and intentions of the US in creating the "Volt Typhoon" false narrative.

"We conducted verification analysis based on the indicators of compromise (IoCs) of the so-called 'Volt Typhoon' organization in the US, and found that this organization is closely related to a ransomware criminal group called Dark Power disclosed by ThreatMon, a US cybersecurity vendor," a researcher from CVERC told the Global Times on Sunday.

The report directly quotes the content of the ThreatMon report and discloses the associated IP address information hidden behind the back cover image." The researcher said that after the release of the investigation report, the US side instructed ThreatMon to openly change the content of the report, the entire report has been expanded from 17 pages to 20 pages, but the crucial evidence of the associated IP address, which was originally located behind the back cover image, is now nowhere to be found.

The Global Times has sent an email to the US Embassy in China asking for comments on the contents revealed in the report. The US Embassy in China has not responded and had remained silent as of press time.

After CVERC released a report on April 15 disclosing the false narrative of "Volt Typhoon", the US Embassy in China and Microsoft which were contacted by the Global Times for comment and gave no response as of press time.

During a press conference on Monday, Lin Jian, spokesperson of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the latest report further revealed that this disinformation campaign is conceived by NSA, FBI and other members of the US intelligence community with the participation of congressional China hawks and multiple federal agencies as well as cybersecurity agencies from other Five Eye countries, and aimed to manipulate public opinion.

Till this day, the US still owes us an explanation after the previous report was released, and the US NSA chief continues to spread disinformation about "Volt Typhoon," said Lin.

What is worse, the latest report exposed that the US government has been pressuring a cybersecurity company and asking it to rewrite its tech analysis that proves "Volt Typhoon" to be a ransomware group. This is a clumsy cover-up tactic and clearly has not and will not work, Lin said.

He noted that China strongly condemns the irresponsible behavior of the US. The US still owes us an explanation, and should stop its smears and vilification against China at once. We urge the US to act responsibly and contribute to the peace and security of the cyberspace.

ThreatMon did not respond to Global Times's inquiries about revising and changing the report as of press time.

Zhuo Hua, an expert on international affairs at the School of International Relations at Beijing Foreign Studies University told the Global Times on Monday that, "The new report more comprehensively exposes the US's intentions and operational process of framing China. China has mastered a complete chain of evidence, sufficient to prove that the so-called 'Volt Typhoon' is orchestrated by US intelligence agencies. Technically, it is self-produced and self-sold, and politically, it is a self-directed and self-acted international false narrative, which can be fully defined as a cognitive domain operation against China."

"In the field of international cybersecurity, the US is the least qualified to point fingers because it has no national credibility in this area. Over the past twenty years, the world has witnessed the US fabricate false intelligence to launch wars. Its intelligence agencies recklessly conduct cyber espionage and surveillance on countries, including its allies, deploy cyber weapons, and paralyze critical infrastructure of other countries through actual APT attacks. The US is the primary threat that supports cyberattacks with national power."

"Since China released the relevant investigation report in April, the US has not responded, precisely because the facts revealed by China and the US's actions in international cyberspace have left the US unable to respond," said Zhuo.

"Another alarming trend is that behind the 'Volt Typhoon' hype, we clearly see the motive of intelligence agencies to expand their powers, interest groups to squeeze Chinese companies out of the US infrastructure market, and anti-China politicians to emphasize 'national security.' This tacit understanding, even collusion, among various sectors—government, business, and finance—is leveraging the US strategy to contain China to gain political and economic benefits domestically. Once this atmosphere is formed, the US will undoubtedly concoct other incidents in the future, harming China's interests and China-US relations."

While the US and Western leaders gathered in Washington to mark NATO's 75th anniversary on Tuesday, their efforts to showcase "strength" and "unity" are being overshadowed by increasing internal divisions on global issues, challenges in supporting Ukraine, uncertainties stemming from the upcoming US presidential election, and the rise of right-wing nationalism across Europe, which make analysts view this year's NATO summit as "outwardly tough but inwardly brittle."

The recent hype over the "China threat" by Western media ahead of the three-day NATO summit and accusations of China supporting Russia once again reveal the US' and NATO's intentions to extend their influence into the Asia-Pacific region for geopolitical gain. It underscores NATO's origins in the Cold War era, designed as a military tool to bolster US hegemony, which critics said only exacerbates global instability and discord.

Leaders of NATO's 32 member countries are scheduled to conduct a three-day summit in Washington, DC from Tuesday to Thursday. On its website, the US Department of State gave a full introduction about NATO and the summit, saying that the allies will discuss an important agenda that includes "affirming unwavering support for Ukraine," "strengthening deterrence and defense posture" and "ensuring Allies meet their commitments to invest in their own defense, as well as collective defense." 

The NATO summit aims to project "unity" and "shared interests" outwardly, but internally, there are increasing anxieties and worries among member countries, Cui Hongjian, a professor at Beijing Foreign Studies University's Academy of Regional and Global Governance, told the Global Times on Tuesday. 

For example, the rise of far-right forces in Europe, political challenges faced by Germany and France and other core European countries, and the possible return of Donald Trump to the White House have all added uncertainties within NATO to reach consensus on major issues, Cui said.

The Tuesday summit came as some Democrats called on Joe Biden to step aside over his fitness and age, while Biden declined and defended his 2024 campaign. Also in Europe, there is a major political turmoil in France - although the left-wing parties' alliance won the decisive round of France's legislative election on Sunday night, a parliament without a majority may lead to uncertainty in France, according to media reports. 

Cui said that while this summit may ultimately seek political outcomes, it risks entanglement in internal discord. NATO hopes to demonstrate to the outside world that it is capable of forging a new consensus through overcoming divisions, but it is haunted by political fragility in both Europe and the US. "This makes this year's summit outwardly tough but inwardly brittle," Cui remarked.

On the webpage of the NATO summit, the US Department of State listed "affirming unwavering support for Ukraine" at the top of its agenda, and claims that "allies will be joined by Ukraine for a meeting" to advance their "strong support" for Ukraine and "close collaboration to help build a bridge to Ukraine's future membership." 

Some Western media reported that during the summit, NATO will announce a "historic" aid package to support Ukraine, including crucial air defense systems and 40 billion  euros ($43.3 billion) in military support for Ukraine each year. 

Since its last summit, NATO has adjusted its strategy to support Ukraine, aiming to integrate short-term aid into a long-term security framework with more systematic and consistent policies. This shift reflects NATO's concerns about the potential disruption of Ukrainian support due to political changes in the US and the EU, Cui said, noting that the discussion of a "bridge to membership" plan for Ukraine to NATO at the Washington summit underscores this adjustment.

However, these efforts are still deemed insufficient by Ukraine, and convincing member countries to allocate substantial aid to Ukraine remains challenging, especially as many of them are grappling with domestic economic contraction and energy crises, a Beijing-based military expert told the Global Times on condition of anonymity. 

The expert noted that the Ukrainian government has struggled to achieve decisive victories on the battlefield, disappointing several European countries and testing their patience and confidence in forming a unified front against Russia.

NATO shifts to Asia

Aside from the goal of presenting a united front against Russia, this week's NATO summit also aims to "send a warning to China," according to some Western media. They noted that NATO is set to discuss threats posed by China, including behavior in the South China Sea and actions on the Taiwan question. Moreover, for the third year in a row, the leaders of New Zealand, Japan and South Korea will attend the NATO summit. 

NATO is now trying to cater to the US' strategic interests and needs by amplifying the "China threat," in an attempt to address its existential crisis, Cui said. He noted that European countries hope the US will at least not abandon NATO for now and provide more security guarantees in the face of the "Russia threat" if Trump returns to the White House. 

Sun Chenghao, a fellow and head of the US-EU program at the Center for International Security and Strategy in Tsinghua University, said that the US and NATO have escalated accusations against China for allegedly supporting Russia, aiming to emphasize the perceived link between security in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. 

The US plans to promote NATO's expansion into Asia. However, it also recognizes that shifting NATO's focus solely through the Russia-Ukraine conflict is insufficient. Therefore, it is launching a series of actions and propaganda campaigns to amplify the perceived threat from China, said Sun. 

This strategy aims to heighten European countries' concerns about their own security, redirect their attention to the Asia-Pacific region, and provoke vigilance among European nations toward China, Sun told the Global Times. 

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Tuesday that "We firmly reject NATO's vilification and blame-shifting against China. NATO should not use China to justify its insertion into the Asia-Pacific and attempt to disrupt regional dynamics. China is a force for world peace, a contributor to global development and a defender of international order. Our objective and just position and constructive role on the Ukraine crisis and international and regional hotspot issues are widely recognized by the international community."

"We urge NATO to form the right perception of China, get rid of its Cold War mentality and zero-sum approach, stop scaremongering on security and making imaginary enemies, stop forming exclusive clubs in the name of collective defense, and play a constructive role for global peace, stability and development," Lin said.

The US plan to build an "Asian version of NATO" has alarmed people in regional countries. For example, a recent global online poll conducted by Chinese media showed that 93.1 percent of global respondents believe that security in the Asia-Pacific region should be achieved through political dialogue and peaceful negotiations among Asia-Pacific countries and they firmly oppose the US creating an "Asian version of NATO." 

Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of the People's Republic of Bangladesh at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Wednesday.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday sent a congratulatory letter to the eighth China-Russia Expo held in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province.

China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) on Tuesday said that hype about "overcapacity" in China goes against common sense and facts, shows double standards and is a form of trade protectionism.

The rise of China's new-energy industries is built on open competition rather than subsidies. It represents advanced production capacity and makes a huge contribution to easing global inflation, as well as the green transformation, MOFCOM said.

MOFCOM said the accusation that China has "overcapacity" is unfounded. The issue of production capacity should be viewed objectively and it should match global production and demand.

In 2023, Germany sold 80 percent of its auto production internationally. Japan exported approximately 50 percent of its cars, while China's overseas sales of new-energy vehicles (NEVs) accounted for only 12.7 percent of its production. Criticizing China for "overcapacity" is therefore unfounded.

Chinese new-energy products are popular in the international market due to their competitive prices and the urgent global need for green transformation. The NEVs exported from China to Europe are priced lower than European-made models, but still higher than in China so there is no dumping involved, MOFCOM said.

Furthermore, with the global demand for new-energy products continuing to expand, advanced production capacity is not only not excessive but actually insufficient, it added.

MOFCOM also noted that China's advantages in the new-energy industry have been achieved through open competition and continuous technological innovation, with Chinese companies investing in research and development in the new-energy sector for over 20 years.

The industry also benefits from an efficient supply chain, while China's large and competitive market drives rapid application and development of technologies as well as a collaborative approach to foreign investment and automakers.

MOFCOM said the accusation that Chinese industrial subsidies have led to "overcapacity" is unfounded. Industrial subsidies are a common practice worldwide. China's industrial subsidy policy is compliant with WTO rules while those of the US and Europe are even larger in scale.

MOFCOM said that the hype about "overcapacity" is actually a reflection of anxiety from other countries about their own competitiveness. However, trade protectionism will not achieve the desired results and will only hinder global economic recovery and the green transformation.

MOFCOM said that China is willing to deepen cooperation in the new-energy supply chain, and promote technological innovation and industrial development with countries around the world. It will continue to promote opening-up, improve the business environment and share the opportunities from Chinese modernization.

In addition to the groundless hype about "overcapacity" regarding exports of China's new-energy products, some Westerners are turning their attention back to China's currency and its depreciation pressure, trying to combine these two things as an excuse for US protectionism to suppress China's exports.

The Wall Street Journal published an article on Saturday, attributing China's export boom to not only "bulging industrial capacity" but also the "lower exchange rate" of China's currency. This ridiculous logic reflects how some American elites have become increasingly hysterical and unscrupulous in their campaign to suppress Chinese enterprises and embrace trade protectionism.

The yuan exchange rate has long been a sensitive issue in China-US relations. Elites in Washington were once enthusiastic about persuading the US government to declare China "a currency manipulator." Currently, although there is no evidence to suggest that discussion of currency manipulation is emerging, media hype about the depreciation of the yuan hasn't stopped, reflecting the strong inertia of a narrow-minded and outdated mentality. 

The central parity rate of the yuan strengthened 69 pips to 7.0994 against the US dollar on Monday, according to the China Foreign Exchange Trade System. The yuan has depreciated since the beginning of this year, when the rate stood at 7.0770 on January 2, but a slight depreciation is normal and won't have much effect on the economy.

Many Asian currencies have been hit this year by the strength of the US dollar. The yen last week weakened to 160 against the US dollar, marking its lowest point since 1990. As multiple Asian currencies continue to depreciate against the US dollar, the yuan has maintained its resilience in the foreign exchange market.

The main reason for the depreciation of Asian currencies is the strength of the US dollar. Asia's central bankers are bracing for more turbulence as the receding prospect of US interest rate cuts in the near future sends shockwaves through regional currencies.

It's ironic that some American elites claim China's "weak currency" is turbocharging China's overseas sales at the expense of other exporting nations, but the fact is that it is the irresponsible US monetary policy that has resulted in Asian currencies' depreciation.

Amid economic uncertainty caused by sluggish global demand, an abnormal fall of a currency is one of the financial risks that will result in capital flight and erode social faith. Few analysts believe that Asian countries want to manipulate their currencies into a steep depreciation. 

A weak currency contributes to higher exports, but if some Americans believe the depreciation of Asian currencies damages the interests of the US economy, then it is not Asia's exports that should be blamed, but the irresponsible US monetary policy.

The yuan's depreciation is mild compared with other major currencies in Asia. The yuan is likely to face renewed depreciation pressure if the US Federal Reserve continues with its irresponsible monetary policy, but China is fully capable of stabilizing the market and keeping the yuan steady at a reasonable and balanced level. 

The resilience of China's currency is underpinned by the country's steady progress in economic development and expanded economic scale in the past several decades.

The US has been unreasonably hyping the false narrative of "overcapacity," and its real purpose is to attack the Chinese economy, especially its export sectors. Some observers believe the "overcapacity" rhetoric has replaced the "currency manipulation" hype as the latest excuse for US protectionism, but we probably face a more complex situation, as some American elites try to combine these two arguments to suppress China's exports.

It is easy to see through their tricks. We hope that the US can restrain the internal rise of trade protectionism and return to the track of free trade.

More than 50 Chinese cities have adjusted their home purchase policies by adopting measures such as easing purchase restrictions and encouraging trade-ins of urban residential housing to promote home sales and the healthy development of the real estate market.

Only six provinces and municipalities in the country, including Hainan and Tianjin, have not completely lifted previously imposed restrictions. 

Analysts said that the house purchase restriction policy is gradually passing into history. Purchase limits were introduced in the past when housing prices rose too fast. Now that the market is no longer full of speculative demand, the eased purchase restrictions are in line with the law and expectations.

Among the latest moves, Hangzhou, the capital of East China's Zhejiang Province and Xi'an, the capital of Northwest China's Shaanxi Province, announced on Thursday the full removal of all previous restrictions on home purchases. 

Potential buyers in Hangzhou and Xi'an no longer need to meet conditions such as having a local hukou (residence permit) or local social security account, and there is no longer a limit to the number of apartments each person is allowed to buy, local housing administrations announced.

Many real estate brokerages in Hangzhou said that their phones "blew up" with questions about home purchases, after the restriction was lifted.

"Hangzhou's policy will contribute to the overall relaxation of policies in other cities across the country. It is a landmark event for local housing policies, after major changes in the supply and demand relationship of the real estate market," Yan Yuejin, research director at Shanghai-based E-house China R&D Institute, told the Global Times on Sunday.

On Friday, many shares of developers rose by the 10 percent daily ceiling, something that hadn't happened for a long time, showing the continued recovery of market confidence.

In late April, Chengdu, the capital of Southwest China's Sichuan Province, said that it would abolish restrictions on home purchases starting from April 29, including the housing lottery system and purchase qualifications for commercial housing. 

Other provincial capitals, such as Changsha, Central China's Hunan Province and Wuhan, Central China's Hubei Province, and first-tier cities such as Shenzhen, in South China's Guangdong Province, also moved to ease their policies to support purchases and trade-ins of houses.

Beijing, for example, adjusted its home purchase restriction policy on April 30, the first adjustment in 13 years, which greatly stimulated the city's property market during the May Day holidays.

"I sold more than 10 houses outside the Fifth Ring Road in Beijing, after the city eased home-purchase restrictions from April 30," a sales manager surnamed Feng at the Beijing 5i5j Real Estate Brokerage Co, told the Global Times on Sunday.

Many sales managers canceled their May Day holidays (May 1-5) travel plans to deal with customers, Feng said.

According to a notice released by the Municipal Commission of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, local families with a Beijing hukou can buy one additional house outside the Fifth Ring Road, even if they already own two apartments in Beijing.

"Every sales manager took more than 10 groups of prospective buyers each day to see homes during the May Day holidays. There would have been more customers if the eased policy wasn't released on the evening of April 30, as many Beijing residents had made travel plans outside the city or were already on the road," said Feng.

A Beijing resident, who declined to be identified, bought an apartment outside the west Fifth Ring Road in Beijing's suburban Shijingshan District right after the new purchase policy was announced.

"I started renovating the house during the May Day holidays. Our whole family helped buy building materials during the holidays," the Beijing resident told the Global Times on Sunday.

It is expected that the national property market will gradually pick up momentum in the coming weeks, which will accelerate the recovery of the real estate sector, Yan said.

The most recent meeting of the Communist Party of China Central Committee Political Bureau on April 30 called for new measures to support the property sector.

The meeting called for research on policies to reduce housing inventories and improve the quality of newly added housing, noting that efforts should be pursued to establish a new model of the real estate development, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

China is set to witness explosive growth in outbound tourism during the May Day holidays from May 1 to May 5 as data from major online travel agencies showed a strong surge in overseas tour bookings by Chinese travelers.

International flight bookings for the first day of the May Day holidays reached a record high, increasing by 20 percent compared with 2019 levels. Nearly 100 outbound destinations saw a rise in flight ticket bookings, according to data Chinese travel platform Qunar shared with the Global Times on Wednesday. Hotel booking numbers showed that Chinese tourists are expected to visit 1,035 cities worldwide during the May Day holidays.

The number of air ticket bookings for several visa-free destinations during the May Day holidays surpassed the figures recorded during the same period in 2019. Specifically, flight bookings for Thailand and Malaysia saw an increase of more than 30 percent, while bookings for Singapore and Georgia more than doubled.

Chinese tourists also appear more willing to opt for longer-distance travel during the five-day holiday period. The Middle East and Europe emerged as popular choices for holiday destinations, with Saudi Arabia and Egypt experiencing a more than threefold increase in flight bookings. Similarly, countries like the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, and Qatar saw a surge of over 50 percent in flight bookings. In Europe, popular destinations such as the UK, Hungary, Ireland, Spain, and Croatia witnessed a doubling of air ticket bookings, according to Qunar data.

Meanwhile, with the Japanese yen hitting a 34-year low against the dollar on Monday, Japan has attracted large numbers of overseas tourists including Chinese visitors. According to Ctrip, Japan will be the top destination for outbound travel during the May Day holidays, with Thailand and South Korea following closely behind. Airbnb data also indicates that Japan is the most searched destination. According to Qunar, the top 10 destinations for the May Day holidays are Thailand, Japan, Malaysia, South Korea, Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, the US, the Philippines, and Australia. Bookings for flights to Japan saw a significant increase of over 60 percent compared with the same period in 2019, making it the destination with the largest growth among the top 10.

The rise in outbound travel has been facilitated by a surge in international flights. China Southern Airlines announced plans to add over 900 flights from April 30 to May 6, with total planned operation of nearly 19,000 flights. China Eastern Airlines has also expanded its international and regional routes, including flights from various Chinese cities to destinations such as Thailand, Singapore, Japan, and Russia, among others.

The upcoming visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to France holds profound historical significance. It will be a journey to showcase friendship, instill confidence and lead cooperation, Chinese Ambassador to France Lu Shaye told a press briefing on Monday.

At the invitation of President Emmanuel Macron of France, President Aleksandar Vučić of the Republic of Serbia and President Tamás Sulyok and Prime Minister Viktor Orbán of Hungary, President Xi will pay state visits to France, Serbia and Hungary from May 5 to 10, the Chinese Foreign Ministry announced on Monday.

This marks President Xi's return to France and Europe after a gap of five years. It is also Xi's first state visit of the year and the highlight of celebrations for the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, Lu said.

The visit holds significant importance for advancing the development of China-France and China-EU relations in the new era and influencing the evolution of the international landscape, the Chinese envoy noted.

Lu pointed out that China-France relations were nurtured by previous leaders such as Chairman Mao Zedong and General Charles de Gaulle.

Over the past 60 years, guided by the spirit of independence, mutual understanding, foresight, and mutually beneficial cooperation, China-France relations have weathered the changing international landscape, he noted.

They have consistently remained at the forefront of China's relations with Western countries, demonstrating increasing strategic maturity and stability, and exerting profound influence on great power relations and global dynamics, Lu said.

"Xi's visit, on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, will provide an opportunity to revisit the spirit of China-France cooperation and chart the future of bilateral relations from a historical and strategic perspective," the Chinese diplomat said.

France is a core member of the EU, and China-France relations are an important component and strong engine of China-Europe relations. China has always viewed China-Europe relations from a strategic height and a long-term perspective, considering Europe as a comprehensive strategic partner and an important force in a multipolar world, Lu said.

During Xi's visit, there will be comprehensive and in-depth strategic communication with Macron on China-France and China-Europe relations.

This will encourage France to uphold strategic autonomy and openness in cooperation, and drive Europe to form a more independent, objective, and friendly understanding of China.

It will also resist negative trends such as "de-risking" and "reduced dependence" on China, ensuring that China-France relations continue to lead China-Europe relations toward stability and progress, Lu said.

China and France should accelerate cooperation in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, the digital economy, green manufacturing, and sustainable development, the ambassador said.

Furthermore, they should further promote agricultural cooperation, represented by "from French farms to Chinese tables," and build closer ties in terms of industry chains, capital flows, and personnel exchanges.

It is believed that President Xi's visit will inject new impetus into cooperation in various fields between China and France, guiding both sides to explore new areas and avenues of cooperation, he said.

In response to questions about the common ground where China and France could work together in addressing hotspot issues such as the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the Ukraine crisis, Lu noted that on the issue of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, China and France have consistently held similar positions, both advocating for a negotiated resolution through the "two-state solution," supporting an immediate ceasefire, protecting civilians, and alleviating humanitarian situations.

As two major powers from the East and the West and responsible great powers, China and France will continue to maintain close communication and coordination on international and regional hotspot issues.

They will actively uphold the international system centered around the UN and the international order based on international law, jointly promote negotiations and dialogue to resolve regional conflicts and turbulence, and work together to build a peaceful, stable, and secure world, Lu said.

On the Ukraine crisis, the Chinese government has maintained an objective, neutral, and balanced stance since the beginning of the crisis, without favoring any party. It is because of this stance that China can engage in dialogue with various parties involved in the crisis, including Russia, Ukraine, Europe, and the US, Lu noted.

"We have consistently advocated for peace talks and dialogue, and opposed any country adding fuel to the fire of this crisis. The conflicts and wars that have arisen in today's world are detrimental to the progress and prosperity of human society," he said.

The endpoint of any war is the negotiating table, and it is better to return to the negotiating table early rather than engage in a conflict where both sides end up losing before resuming talks, Lu stressed.

Shortly after the outbreak of the Ukraine crisis, Xi clarified China's position at a video summit with Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, outlining the "four principles." President Xi later called for joint efforts in four areas and shared three observations.

In February 2023, the Chinese government released a position paper on the political resolution of the Ukraine issue, presenting a 12-point proposal. The proposal includes not only general principles such as respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries and adhering to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter but also a roadmap, including ceasefire, initiation of talks, protection of civilians and prisoners of war, guaranteeing food shipments, and the safety of nuclear power plants.

It also includes ideas for the post-war European security architecture. If Europe and France carefully read the Chinese document and truly understand China's position, they will find that China's proposals are in line with the current situation and provide a feasible path for the peaceful resolution of the Ukraine crisis, Lu said.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's three-day visit to China, during which he had extensive exchanges with Chinese officials, was deemed by Chinese experts as "generally positive and playing a role in stabilizing relations between China and the US," but observers also believed such a visit by itself cannot fundamentally change the current trend of China-US ties.

Experts have noted that the five-point consensus reached by the two countries during Blinken's visit suggested that China has pushed back against US pressure, and helped push both countries to work toward improving relations in line with the consensus made by the top leaders of the two countries in San Francisco.

The key challenge in China-US ties lies in the US still holding the wrong perception of viewing China as a rival or enemy, rather than a partner. The US is currently struggling to break free from its preconceived notions about China, leading to difficulties in setting the right tone for Washington's policies toward Beijing and managing the US-China relationship effectively. As a result, Chinese experts urged the US to show the courage to accurately identify and correct its misconceptions about China.

'Candid' talks

The Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Friday evening that talks with Blinken during his visit to China were "candid, substantive and constructive."

During a courtesy meeting with Blinken on Friday afternoon, Chinese President Xi Jinping elaborated on China's authoritative position on China-US relations and proposed guidance, said Yang Tao, director-general of the Department of North American and Oceanian Affairs of the China's Foreign Ministry, while briefing the media on Blinken's visit on Friday evening.

Xi met with Blinken on Friday, and stressed China is willing to cooperate with the US, but cooperation should be a two-way street. "China is not afraid of competition, but competition should be about common progress, not a zero-sum game," Xi said.

China and the US should be partners rather than rivals; help each other succeed rather than hurt each other; seek common ground and reserve differences rather than engage in vicious competition; and honor words with actions rather than say one thing but do another, said Xi.

Xi said China is committed to non-alliance, and the US should not create small blocs, adding that each side can have its friends and partners, it should not target, oppose or harm the other.

Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese foreign minister, held talks with Blinken on Friday in Beijing, with the two sides reaching a five-point consensus based on a comprehensive exchange of views.

First, both sides agreed to continue to work hard to stabilize and develop China-US relations in accordance with the guidance of the two heads of state. Second, both sides agreed to maintain high-level exchanges and contacts at all levels.

Third, the two sides announced that they would hold the first meeting of the China-US intergovernmental dialogue on artificial intelligence, continue to advance consultations on the principles guiding China-US relations, hold a new round of China-US consultations on Asia-Pacific affairs and China-US maritime affairs, and continue consular consultations. The two countries' anti-drug working group will hold a senior officials meeting.

Fourth, the two sides will take measures to expand cultural and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries, welcome students from each other's countries and work together for the success of the 14th China-US Tourism Leadership Summit to be held in Xi'an in May. Fifth, the two sides will maintain consultations on international and regional hotspot issues and strengthen communication between the special envoys of the two sides.

From the perspective of advancing the implementation of the agreement made by the two leaders in San Francisco, Blinken's visit has achieved some positive results, with the five-point consensus reached by both sides essentially continuing the consensus reached by the two leaders in San Francisco, Wu Xinbo, director of the Center for American Studies at Fudan University, told the Global Times.

Wu noted that judging from the previous agenda of the visit released by the US, Blinken did not achieve his expected goals. This reflected the different approaches of China and the US in handling bilateral relations.

The signals sent by the US before Blinken's departure indicated that Washington had wanted to reset the agenda for China-US relations. However, the five-point consensus reached by both sides showed that the US attempt did not succeed and China's efforts helped push the two countries to go back to implementing the consensus made by the two leaders in San Francisco, said Wu.

Blinken would also reportedly ask Beijing to avoid taking "provocative" measures during next month's inauguration of Lai Ching-te, who was elected as Taiwan's regional leader in January, AFP quoted a US official as saying last week. The US diplomat also planned to raise its "deep concerns regarding the PRC's support for Russia's defense industrial base, as well as its human rights abuses and unfair economic and trade practices," according to previous media reports.

Although the consensus between the two sides on effectively managing their relationship seems to have been largely reached throughout the latest high-level interactions between China and the US, some experts are concerned about whether the US can guarantee that it will effectively manage differences and expand cooperation through action, especially when the US is in the election year.

"If the US is unable to follow the consensus and fulfill its promises, and even further seeks to contain China due to election politics, encircle China, tarnish China's image, and interfere in China's internal affairs, it is very likely to have a negative impact on the future trajectory of China-US relations," Diao Daming, a professor at the Renmin University of China in Beijing, told the Global Times.

Challenges ahead

At the close of his three-day visit to China, Blinken told reporters in a news briefing on Friday that he warned China to "stop exporting materials that allow Russia to rebuild its industrial base," and also told CNN that Washington has seen evidence of Chinese attempts to "influence and arguably interfere" with the upcoming US elections.

Those remarks are all aimed at the domestic audience in the US, as both issues are often used by the Biden administration as political fodder to hype China-US relations in domestic politics in order to avoid appearing weak on China, Li Haidong, a professor at the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times, noting that as the election approaches, the bilateral relationship will become more fragile.

This view was echoed by Wu. "I think the development of China-US relations in the future will continue to be full of ups and downs, and it is unlikely to truly stabilize or significantly improve. Especially in the year of the 2024 election, the Biden administration will need to show toughness toward China and exert pressure on China to cater to its own interests," said Wu.

Last week, Biden called on the US Trade Representative to consider tripling the existing Section 301 tariff rate on Chinese steel and aluminum. Earlier this month, he also urged the banning of imports of Chinese-made electric cars to the US.

Biden's moves are aimed at appealing to certain groups of voters in the US, said Wu, who predicted that there will be more actions aimed at showing toughness and putting pressure on China. "If Biden feels that his election prospects are not good, he may intensify his efforts to play the 'China card'," Wu noted.

In the first half of this year, China-US relations can maintain a fragile and unreliable stability, and there will be greater fluctuations in the second half of the year, said Wu.