Judging by the gushing superlatives the mainland media has employed to describe President Hu Jintao's state visit to the United States, elation over its success is very much apparent - 'abundance of achievements', 'a new chapter', 'an epochal event', and 'a new approach for all countries that try to live in harmony in this global era'.
While all the mainstream media lavished space and pictures on Hu's visit and even delayed printing for hours to include the latest details because of the time difference, Xinhua has been the most diligent in producing timely, detailed and factual news stories, features and commentaries. In a commentary on Saturday, the news agency characterised Hu's visit as a genial spring breeze that would bring warmth and clarify uncertainties.
Indeed, the Chinese have exactly what they hoped for - respect and status as an equal partner.
In contrast to Hu's previous trip five years ago, he was accorded full honours this time - a 21-gun salute; a rare private dinner with his counterpart, Barack Obama; a gala dinner; and a joint declaration in which both sides pledged to forge 'a China-US co-operative partnership based on mutual respect and mutual benefit'. As Hu also visited a Confucius Institute and an exhibition of Chinese companies operating in Chicago, his trip - complemented by an advertising blitz in the US media featuring smiling Chinese celebrities, including Yao Ming - was also aimed at highlighting China's growing soft power and role in creating jobs in the US.
For its part, Washington was also keen to play up common interests while glossing over long-standing differences after a troubled 2010.
Of course, domestic political considerations also contributed to warmer ties, as Hu's visit to Washington was probably his last as the mainland's top leader. He is expected to step down next year at the 18th Communist Party Congress. As for Obama, he is up for re-election shortly afterwards.
But as many analysts have long pointed out, it was difficult to expect a single summit to produce substantial results on any of the major long-standing and sticky issues between the two countries, ranging from the yuan to military confrontation to human rights.