Welcome sign of goodwill from US

US Ambassador to China Terry Branstad extended a warm invitation to Chinese students to study in the United States in a signed article published by China Youth Daily on Monday.

This has been seized on as a ray of hope by those fearing the delay in signing of the "phase one" trade deal between China and the United States may lead to relations relapsing into acrimony.

It is certainly encouraging to see that, nearly one month after the US president said he gave Chinese students his word that "I want them coming here", the US administration, which is known for being somewhat capricious, is still holding true to those words.