By Colleen Howe
BEIJING, Feb 18 (Reuters) - Chinese President Xi Jinping said the desire of the Chinese and American peoples for exchanges and cooperation will not change regardless of how bilateral relations evolve, in a reply to Iowa friends ahead of an expected meeting with President Donald Trump in April, according to Xinhua.
"The hope of U.S.-China relations lies in the people," Xi wrote on Monday in response to a New Year's greeting from Iowa businessman Luca Berrone, whom he first met in May 1985 when he led a delegation from Hebei province to its "sister state" of Iowa to learn about food production, and others.
In 2022, Xi said in a New Year's greeting to Sarah Lande, another friend from his Iowa trip, that the world required stability in U.S.-China ties, which were strained during the pandemic.
U.S.-China relations had a tumultuous 2025, with Trump in October threatening to impose additional 100% tariffs on imports from China.
But 2025 saw a revival in people-to-people ties as Trump's threatened TikTok ban pushed American netizens onto Chinese app RedNote. "Chinamaxxing", or the online trend of adopting Chinese cultural habits, also surged in popularity among America's Gen Z, influenced by the growing perception of China as a technological superpower.
High-level bilateral ties appeared to stabilise after Xi-Trump talks in South Korea in October led to a one-year extension of a trade truce. Trump agreed to trim tariffs in exchange for Beijing committing to crack down on illegal fentanyl trade, resume U.S. soybean purchases and pause rare earth export controls.
The two then had a surprise phone call in early February that touched on Taiwan and other security issues. According to Trump, Xi also said China would consider increasing its purchases of U.S. soybeans, of which Iowa is a top producer.
Trump is planning to visit China in April, he said last month, adding that Xi Jinping would travel to the U.S. toward the end of 2026.
(Reporting by Colleen Howe; Editing by Stephen Coates)
