China's top envoy to the United States has called for Washington to discard "political correctness" and Cold War thinking, calling for a "strategic decision" to treat Beijing as a partner rather than a rival.

Speaking at a Chinese New Year reception on Tuesday, a week before the Year of the Horse starts, Ambassador Xie Feng said that a recent phone call between President Xi Jinping and President Donald Trump served to "recalibrate" ties.

He urged Washington to move past the zero-sum competition that has defined the last several years of trade and tech friction, noting that stabilizing the relationship in 2026 requires a fundamental change in strategic perception.

"We hope strategic vision and a sense of historical responsibility will be adopted, the Cold War mentality and the so-called 'political correctness' will be rejected, and a decision will be made to be partners and friends with China," Xie said.

The event, held at the Chinese Embassy, was attended by nearly 700 guests, including a diverse group of individuals from both parties.

Notable guests included Republican Senator Steve Daines from Montana, members of the House of Representatives, and officials from the White House, such as newly confirmed Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy Sara Carter and officials from the State Department.

The gathering featured a theme video titled China-US Relations: Steady Progress, Long-term Stability Under Head-of-State Guidance, emphasizing the central role of the two leaders.

Xie described head-of-state diplomacy as the "compass and anchor" of the relationship, noting that bilateral ties have maintained overall stability primarily through the strategic guidance provided by the two presidents.

"Our two sides should cherish and implement the two presidents' important common understandings, steadfastly follow the course charted by our leaders, and faithfully translate their strategic guidance into concrete policies, actions and practices, so as to ensure the giant ship of China-US relations will sail forward without losing direction or speed," he said.