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From Confucius to Tsinghua: Trump invokes history to anchor China-US future
Both leaders used carefully crafted speeches at Thursday night’s state banquet to lean into the two countries’ deep and historical ties
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Nayan SethPublished: 11:16am, 15 May 2026Against the backdrop of ceremonial grandeur at the Great Hall of the People on Thursday, US President Donald Trump leaned on centuries of shared history to set the stage for the future of China-US relations.In his state banquet address capping a long day of talks, tourism and toasts, Trump blended calculated callbacks with personal touches – carefully crafted to appeal to the hosts, including President Xi Jinping.
He framed the relationship as “one of the most consequential” in world history, drawing a thread from the Confucian values admired by America’s founders to the 20th century roots of Tsinghua University, the Chinese leader’s alma mater.
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“At the request of China’s ambassador, it was president Theodore Roosevelt who provided the funds to establish President Xi’s alma mater, Tsinghua University,” Trump said, in a reference seen as a calculated nod to the institution’s unique origins.
Tsinghua was established in 1911 after the US decided to return indemnity funds following the 1901 Boxer rebellion. Acknowledging that the reparations exceeded actual damages, Washington agreed to redirect the capital into educational help.
Xi hosts Trump at state banquet in Beijing
After years of sustained efforts by the Qing dynasty’s ambassador to the US, Liang Cheng, Roosevelt signed an executive order in 1908, paving the way for the institution’s establishment.
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