TOKYO -- China's leaders have kicked off 2023 with a milder tone in their messaging, which analysts say could be an attempt to lay the groundwork for a potential visit by President Xi Jinping to the U.S. in November for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders meeting.
In an opinion piece for The Washington Post on Wednesday, new Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang argued that "The planet's future depends on a stable China-U.S. relationship."