Goodwill and good deeds

Trade is the plainest and most efficient language of diplomacy nowadays. It is one of the few aspects of state-to-state relations that can bridge cultural and ideological gaps. And in relations with China, the world's No 1 exporter and No 2 importer, trade is bound to be a prominent feature.

While Vice-President Xi Jinping's overseas trip has resulted in a good many business deals with the United States, Ireland, and now Turkey - and for each of these countries, Chinese pledges of collaboration, now honored in the form of business deals, mean a lot - evaluating Xi's visits to the countries in terms of commercial deals alone would be to shortchange their true worth. They are mere tokens of the goodwill China wants to convey, to the host countries and the world at large.

From Washington D.C. to Dublin and Ankara, Xi has been assuring his hosts and the rest of the international community of China's steadfast commitment to being a constructive and responsible presence on the world stage. Economic benefits are only one aspect, or, more precisely, a natural outcome of this.