In an editorial board-authored piece published on Sep. 23, China’s Global Times writes that the visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to the U.S. carries “profound significance.” It noted that many consider the welcome ceremony planned by President Trump to be “unprecedented.”

The main focus of the visit will be head of state diplomacy, the authors go on, saying that this serves as the “anchor” and “compass” of China-US relations. “Since the beginning of the new era… President Xi’s visits to the US have consistently steered the development of China-US relations, guiding the relationship on a steady course forward.” Both Trump and Xi “have maintained strategic communication, which helps both sides view each other from a long-term perspective, prevents specific disagreements from disrupting the overall picture of bilateral relations, and provides a clear direction for exchanges at all levels,” they write.