Straining to mend their party after months of chaos, Donald Trump and House Speaker Paul Ryan declared themselves "totally committed" to working together after a fence-mending personal meeting on Thursday. Ryan suggested that after initial hesitance, he may well end up endorsing the GOP candidate for president.

"We will have policy disputes. There is no two ways about that. The question is, can we unify on the common core principles that make our party?" Ryan said. "And I'm very encouraged that the answer to that question is yes."

Trump broadcast his own enthusiasm. "I really think we had a great meeting today, and I think we agree on a lot of things and it'll be a little process but it'll come along. I'm pretty sure," he said.

The surprisingly fervent show of unity capped a remarkable week that began with Ryan, the GOP's top elected officeholder and its 2012 vice-presidential nominee, turning his back on his party's presumptive presidential nominee just days after Trump had effectively clinched the nomination.

Ryan said at the time he was not yet ready to back Trump, who had succeeded in insulting women, Latinos, disabled people and many conservatives in the course of a brutal primary season.

The two also issued a joint statement in which they pledged to work together to beat Clinton.

(China Daily 05/14/2016 page9)