BEIJING, May 16 (Xinhua) — The Temple of Heaven in the heart of Beijing has long stood as a symbol of the ancient Chinese belief in harmony between heaven and earth.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday visited the more than 600-year-old architectural complex. Trump concluded his state visit to China and departed for Washington on Friday.

During their visit to the Temple of Heaven, Xi explained to Trump that in ancient times, state rituals were held in the temple, where then Chinese rulers prayed for national prosperity, social harmony, and favorable weather for good harvests.

The temple symbolizes the traditional Chinese philosophy of « Hehe » — meaning peace, harmony and coexistence. Xi has often introduced foreign leaders to traditional Chinese culture, underscoring his deep appreciation for China’s cultural heritage.

In his view, the « Hehe » philosophy embodies one of the essences of the remarkable culture created by Chinese ancestors. These values are also seen as key to fostering a stable and constructive China-U.S. relationship in the years ahead.

AN ETHOS OF PEACE

The Temple of Heaven is an important landmark near the southern end of the Beijing Central Axis. Back in November 2017, during Trump’s first state visit to China, Xi accompanied him on a tour of the Forbidden City, another historic site along the axis.

The three main halls inside the ancient imperial palace complex — the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the Hall of Central Harmony and the Hall of Preserving Harmony — all bear the Chinese character « He, » reflecting the Chinese people’s longstanding aspiration for peace and harmony.

Chinese President Xi Jinping holds a welcome ceremony for U.S. President Donald Trump, who is on a state visit to China, outside the Great Hall of the People prior to their talks in Beijing, capital of China, May 14, 2026. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin)

Standing inside the Temple of Heaven with Xi on Thursday, Trump said he could still recall the trip to the Forbidden City nine years ago. Admiring the exquisite artistry of classical Chinese architecture and the richness of traditional Chinese culture, he described the Temple of Heaven as « great » and « incredible. »

Over the years, drawing on China’s ancient wisdom to convey the country’s commitment to peace has been a recurring feature of Xi’s diplomatic engagements.

Peace is a core value deeply rooted in Chinese civilization. « Peace, concord and harmony are ideas the Chinese nation has pursued and carried forward for more than 5,000 years, » Xi once said. « The Chinese nation does not carry aggressive or hegemonic traits in its genes. »

Opening his talks with Trump in the Great Hall of the People on Thursday, Xi raised the question of whether China and the United States can overcome the Thucydides Trap and create a new paradigm of major-country relations.

For Xi, both China and the United States stand to gain from cooperation and lose from confrontation, and the two countries should be partners rather than rivals.

At times, Xi has drawn on the wisdom of Chinese classics in his exchanges with U.S. officials to underscore his view on prudence in warfare.

« It has long been known that the real experts on military affairs do not want to employ military means to solve issues, » he quoted a Chinese aphorism when meeting with then U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis in Beijing in 2018.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump have a private meeting at Zhongnanhai in Beijing, capital of China, May 15, 2026. (Xinhua/Li Xiang)

As Xi and Trump met for their summit, the world watched closely to see whether the two major countries could find the right path toward peaceful coexistence — a question with profound implications for global peace and stability.

During the just-concluded visit, the two presidents agreed on a new vision for the world’s most important bilateral relationship: building « a constructive China-U.S. relationship of strategic stability. » The initiative is hailed as the most important political consensus reached by the two leaders during their summit.

Sourabh Gupta, a resident senior fellow at the Institute for China-America Studies, said this new positioning of ties could shape the bilateral relationship — and its global and regional implications — for years to come.

« The hope is … that common interests will outweigh differences, and that these differences will be managed carefully with an emphasis on maintaining peace and stability, » he said.

COLLECTIVE RESILIENCE

In Xi’s eyes, « all living things may grow side by side without harming one another, and different roads may run in parallel without interfering with one another. »

The Chinese leader once cited this ancient Chinese saying to illustrate that lasting prosperity and security can only be achieved when countries pursue the common good, live in harmony, and engage in mutually beneficial cooperation.

For Xi, there is plenty of room for China-U.S. cooperation, and the two sides are fully able to help promote mutual success and achieve win-win outcomes.

Addressing a welcoming banquet at the Great Hall of the People on Thursday in honor of Trump’s visit, Xi said that looking back at the course of China-U.S. relations, whether or not the two countries could have mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation is the key to whether the relationship can advance steadily.

Chinese President Xi Jinping holds a banquet to welcome U.S. President Donald Trump on his state visit to China at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, May 14, 2026. (Xinhua/Yan Yan)

This year marks the beginning of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030), while the United States celebrates the 250th anniversary of its founding. On Friday, during a private meeting in the Zhongnanhai leadership compound in central Beijing, Xi told Trump, « While President Trump hopes to make America great again, I am dedicated to leading the Chinese people toward national rejuvenation. »

Against a backdrop of unprecedented global transformation, China and the United States are also widely expected to work together in addressing pressing global challenges.

When meeting with Antony Blinken, then U.S. secretary of state, in Beijing in 2024, Xi invoked another concept drawn from traditional Chinese philosophy of harmony –« Passengers in the same boat should help each other. »

« Today, as I see it, dwellers of the same planet should help each other, » he noted.

As Xi has observed, « No person or country can remain isolated from the common challenges we face. The only way forward is through solidarity and harmonious coexistence. »

During the latest Xi-Trump summit, the two sides expressed readiness to conduct more exchanges in areas including diplomacy, military affairs, economy and trade, health, agriculture, tourism, people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and law enforcement, injecting new impetus into the interactions of the two countries in the future.

Just as Xi has noted, the people of China and the United States are both great peoples.

« The great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and making America great again can go hand in hand. We can help each other succeed and advance the well-being of the whole world, » Xi said. ■