Academic exchanges vital

Looking ahead, Scott Rozelle, co-director of the Stanford Center on China's Economy and Institutions, said that another strong pillar for advancing ties is cross-border education and research.

Academic exchanges and research ties have been among the cornerstones of China-US relations and shared economic development over the past three decades, Rozelle said, calling for sustained two-way flows. The US should keep attracting Chinese students and "welcoming visiting scholars", while China should do more to support US graduate students and young scholars in conducting research, he said.

Rozelle, a professor of development economics at Stanford, noted that some US states remain "fully welcoming", but others have tightened restrictions. "Hopefully, the benefits will be seen to outweigh the costs in the coming years and all parts of the US will open up again."

No prediction is certain for China-US relations in 2026. However, as the clouds dispersed at times in 2025, the two countries' envoys hope to see some brighter days ahead.