Experts' take on China-US relations_天天观焦点

Editor"snote:Astheworld"stwolargesteconomies,ChinaandtheUSneedtostrengthencommunicationandcooperation,desistfrominterferingineachother"sdomesticaffairsand,atthesametime,shouldertheirrespectiveinternationalresponsibilities,andworktogethertoadvanceworldpeaceanddevelopment.ThreeexpertssharetheirviewsontheissuewithChinaDaily.The"seven-C"guardrailpreventingSino-USconflict

ByTomWatkins

(资料图片仅供参考)

Theroadbeforeusisdangerouswithdiplomaticdarkcloudshangingoverhead.SoChinaandtheUnitedStatesshouldkeepasidetheirrivalryandrecalibratetheirrelationshipintheinterestsofalltobringpeaceandprosperitytotheworld.Thetwosidesalsoneedtojointlybuild"guardrails"tomanagetheirgrowingstrategiccompetition.

Thecurrenttensionbetweenthetwolargesteconomiesispalpableandisshakingtheworld.ThereisfearthatSino-USrelationsareheadingtowardconflictor,Godforbid,adevastatingwar.

TherivalrybetweenthetwocountrieshasgrownashaveChina"seconomy,nationalstrengthandscientificandtechnologicalcapabilities,makingitexceedinglydifficultfortheWesttosimplythumpitschestandexpectChinatofallinline.WeneedleadersonbothsidesofthePacifictoartfullymanagethisdelicaterelationshipinordertoavoidahead-oncollisionthatwouldbecatastrophicforall.

Ihavebeenaparticipant-observerofChina"srisesincemyyouthinthe1960sandwhilecrisscrossingChinasince1989.I"vekeptmyeyeswideopeninmyefforttounderstandandexplaintoWesternaudiencesallIhavelearnedandexperiencedwhilestrivingtobuildcultural,educationalandeconomicbridgesbetweenourtwonations.Clearly,ourtwocountriesseetheworldfromdifferentperspectives.Yetbothneedtotakeabroaderviewoftheworldifwewishtopassdownpeaceandprosperitytoourchildrenandgrandchildren.

Oflate,thetwocountries"decisionshaveexacerbatedtensionsandmistrust,insteadoflesseningthem,whichdoesnotbodewellforeitherChina,ortheUSortherestoftheworld.

Itisimperativethatwefindwaystomaintainopendialogue,focusingonthe"sevenCs"—maintainingcommunication,collaboration,cooperation,coordinationandcompetitionwhileavoidingconfrontationandconflict.

SincethefoundingofthePeople"sRepublicin1949,therelationshipbetweenChinaandtheUShasexperiencedperiodsofbothtensionandcooperationovermanyissuesincludingtrade,climatechange,andtheTaiwanquestion.Yetthetwosideshavesensiblynavigatedforward.

Today,theUSandChineseeconomiesareasintertwinedasabowlofnoodles.Thetwosidesarealsomajorglobalpowers.AllmajorglobalissuesintersectatthecornerofBeijingandWashington.Andhowourleadersresolvethoseissueswillshapethefutureworld.

OnlybyunderstandingeachothercantheUSandChinaavoidafateworsethanany20thcenturyconflict.Arearisingpowerandanestablishedpoweralwaysdestinedtoengageinaconflict,asthe"Thucydides"trap"theoryclaims?Theworldwantsaresounding"no"astheanswer.

IbelievethatthebeststrategyfortheUStothrivedespiteChina"sriseissimplytonotstandinoppositiontoChinaand,instead,aggressivelyinvestintheUSandUScitizens.

China"stransformationintotheworld"ssecond-largesteconomyisnothingshortofremarkable.Chinashouldtakeabowforitsaccomplishments,whichhavebenefitedsomanypeople.Forinstance,Chinahasliftedmorethan800millionpeopleoutofextremepoverty,accountingformorethan75percentofglobalpovertyreduction,afeattheworldhasneverseenbefore.Astable,economicallyadvancingChinabenefitsall.

Peacefulcoexistencepathtobetterfuture

ByYuanZheng

Sino-USrelationshavedeterioratedtosuchanextentinrecentyearsthattheprospectofanyimprovementintheshorttermappearsdim.TheJoeBidenadministrationhasbeenstrengtheningtheUnitedStates"alliancesandpromotingso-calledvalue-orienteddiplomacy,leadingsometobelieveWashingtonandBeijingaremovingtowardahead-oncollision.

Unquestionably,adirectconflictbetweenChinaandtheUSwillhavecatastrophicconsequencesfortheworld,giventhatbotharenuclearpowersandleadersinartificialintelligence.AndtheincreasinguseofAIinmilitarytechnologycouldmakewarfareevenmorebrutalanddestructive.

ASino-USconflictwouldbenotonlydevastatingforthetwocountriesbutalsofortherestoftheworld,leavingtheregionalandglobaleconomiesintatters.

China"sriseisperhapsthemostsignificantdevelopmentinthepasthalfacentury,anditis,amongotherthings,changingtheglobalpowerstructure.Itiscrucialtounderstandandappropriatelyrespondtotheriseofamajorpower,inordertomaintainworldpeaceanddevelopment.

Yetthe"mightmakesright"mentalityhasbeendominantintheWestforthepast500years,andtheUSprobablyviewsChina"srisewiththesamemindset.Tomaintainitsglobalhegemony,theUSisresortingtoallpossiblemeans,fromformingnewandstrengtheningexistingalliancestoforcingotherstotakesidesinitsdisputeswithcountriesitconsidersrivals.Thefactis,theUScannotaccepttherealityofChina"srise,asitfearsthatastrongerChinawillchallengeitsglobalhegemony.NowonderithasabandoneditspolicyofengagingwithChinaandisdoingeverythinginitspowertocheckChina"srise.

ThecurrentUSpolicytowardChinaisfraughtwithcontradictions.WhileitsaysitdoesnotwanttotriggeraColdWarorconflictwithChinaand,instead,seekstobuilda"shield"ofcompetitionbetweenthetwosides,itsactionssuggestotherwise.TheUSisusingeverypossiblemeanstocheckChina"sriseincludinghurtingChina"scoreinterestsandinterferinginChina"sinternalaffairswhileseekingcooperationwithChinaoncertainissues.Also,theUSisimposingsanctionsonChineseentitiesand,atthesametime,askingChinatofurtheropenupitsmarkettoAmericancompanies.

TheSino-USrelationshavereachedacriticaljuncture.Cooperationbetweenthetwosidescanbecomeacornerstoneofglobalstabilityandhelpmaintainglobalpeace.Witheconomicglobalizationdeepeningandallcountriesurgingthemtoworktogetherforthebenefitofall,ChinaandtheUSshouldforgeanewpath,apaththatisdevoidofconfrontation,apathofmutuallybeneficialrelationship.

Astheworld"stwolargesteconomiesandpermanentUNSecurityCouncilmembers,theUSandChinashouldbuildahealthy,stablerelationship,soastobenefitpeopleinbothcountriesandmeettheexpectationsoftheinternationalcommunity.

Thetwomajorpowershavetofindtherightpathtopeacefulcoexistenceinthenewera,byrespectingeachother"ssocialsystemsanddevelopmentpaths,respectingeachother"scoreinterestsandrighttodevelopment,treatingeachotherasequals,managingtheirdifferences,andseekingcommongroundwhileshelvingdifferences.

Notengaginginconflictorconfrontationshouldbethebottomlineforbothsides.TheUShassaidthetwosidescan"coexist",whichisgood.Betterstill,thetwosides"aimshouldbe"peacefulcoexistence".

Also,sincetheinterestsofChinaandtheUSareintertwined,cooperationwillbenefitthetwosideswhileconfrontationwillharmboth.SincetheworldisbigenoughforboththeUSandChinatothrive,thetwosideswoulddobettertoadheretothepolicyofmutualbenefit,andnotplayzero-sumgames.

CompetitionbetweenChinaandtheUSisinevitable,butitshouldnotbemalicious.Neithersideshouldchallengethecoreinterestsoftheother;rather,theyshouldengageinfaircompetition,suchasacompetitiontodeterminewhichsidecontributesmoretotheworld.

Toavoidconflictandcreatetherightglobalenvironmentforpeacefulcoexistence,effortsshouldbemadeonfourfronts.First,thetwocountriesneedtostrengthencommunicationatalllevelsandinallfieldstoenhancemutualtrustandpreventstrategicmisjudgments.Theyshouldalsomakegooduseofexistingchannelsandmechanismstoholddialogue,promotecooperationandsolveurgentproblems,whilefacilitatingsocialexchanges.

Second,theyshouldmanagetheirdifferencesinaconstructivewaytopreventrelationsfromderailing.

Third,thereisalsoaneedfortheUSandChinatodeepencooperationonissuesofcommoninterest.Thetwocountrieshavecommoninterestsinfieldssuchastheeconomy,energy,military,lawenforcement,education,theinternetandenvironmentalprotection.Hence,theyshouldstrengthencooperationinthesefieldsonthebasisofequalityandmutualbenefit.

ThenatureofSino-USeconomicrelationsismutuallybeneficial,soWashingtonshouldnotpoliticizebilateraleconomicissuesandstopusingthepretextofnationalsecuritytoweakenChinesecompanies.

Andfourth,thetwosidesshouldstrengthencoordinationandcooperationonmajorinternationalandregionalissues,includingprovidingmorepublicgoodsfortheworld,helpingmaintainafairandreasonableworldorder,jointlypromotingpeaceandglobaldevelopment,whilejoininghandstofightclimatechange,boostingtheglobaleconomy,safeguardingpublichealth,bolsteringthenon-proliferationandarmscontrolregimes,crackingdownondrugtraffickingandtransnationalcrime,andensuringglobalfoodsecurity.

Inshort,guidingSino-USrelationstowardpositivedevelopmentisnecessaryforthebenefitofbothsidesaswellastherestoftheworld.Astwomajorglobalpowers,ChinaandtheUShavetheobligationtoleadtheworldtowardapaththatisconducivetopeaceanddevelopment.

TheauthorisdeputydirectoroftheInstituteofAmericanStudies,ChineseAcademyofSocialSciences.

Itiseasyattimeslikethesetopileonthegrievanceswehaveagainsteachother.Butweneedtostopplayingagameofsee-saw,inwhichonesidemustgodownfortheothertogoup.Anarmedconflictwouldpullbothcountriesaswellastherestoftheworlddowntotheirknees.

Ourtwonationsneedtoresettheirrelations.USPresidentJoeBidenandChinesePresidentXiJinpingcouldsurprisetheworldbyannouncinganother"NixongoestoChina"momentbyjointlyproposingaNobelPeacePrize-worthyideasuchasa"G2ActionPlanonGlobalHealth",ajointpledgeforasharedvisionandcommonagendawithspecific,measurablegoalstomaketheplanetabetterplace.ByworkingtogethertohelpendtheRussia-Ukraineconflict.Byjoininghandstofightclimatechange,preventpandemicsandnuclearproliferation,andalleviateglobalhunger.Andbetheleaderstheworldneeds.

Zero-sumgamescanonlyleadtomutualdestruction.Therelationshipbetweenourtwonationsisthefoundationforworldpeace,acommongroundthatallowsdiplomaticsolutionstoworkaroundissuesthatdivideus.

Weneedapaththatallowsformutualstrategicinterests,sovereigntyoverourrespectiveinternalaffairsandagenuinedesigntoimprovethelivesofall.Theconsequencesofnotfindingasmoothwayforwardaretoodiretocontemplate.Whatkindoffutureareweheadingtowardifourleaderschooseconflictoverpeace?

Weneedtoworktogethertosolveglobalexistentialthreatsandchipawayatvexingproblemstopreventasinglesparkfromignitingaragingfire.

Letpeaceandprosperityprevail.

TheauthorispresidentandCEOofTDWandAssociates,aUS-basedbusinessandeducationconsultingfirm.

Toliveandletliveisbestwayforward

ByVictorZhikaiGao

WiththeJoeBidenadministrationsayingthat"competition,cooperationandconfrontation"defineUS-Chinarelations,manypeopleintheUShavetakenforgrantedthatChinaisacompetitoroftheUnitedStates.

SomeintheUSevensayChinaisan"existentialthreat"totheUSandChinaandtheUSare"destinedforwar".Beforemorepeoplefallintotheadministration"strap,weneedtoaskacrucialquestion:DoesChinawanttocompetewiththeUS?

AlthoughtheUSandChinaaretheworld"stwolargesteconomiesandtheireconomiesareintertwined,thetwoarecompletelydifferentcountries.WhileChinaisacountrywithmorethan5,000yearsofuninterruptedcivilization,theUnitedStatesisayoung,dynamicsuperpower.

IfChinacompeteswiththeUSintermsof,orthreatenstheUSwith,itspoliticalsystem,ideology,valuesandwaysofdoingthings,mostlikelytherewillbenopeaceintheworld.Butsincethefactisotherwise,theUSiseithermisguidedorhaschosentomisinterprettherealgoalsofChina.Inbothcases,theconsequencescouldbedire.

AbetterwaytodefineChina-USrelationsistothinkofYaoMingandElonMusk,oneanoutstandingbasketballplayer,theotheroneofthemostsuccessfulbusinessmen.ItisridiculoustosuggestYaowouldseektocompetewithMusk.

ThereisnothingYaoandMuskcancompetefor.YaocanneverachievesuccessinbusinesslikeMusk,whileMuskcanneverbeasgoodabasketballplayerasYao.Sotheywoulddobettertocheereachotherandmarvelateachother"ssuccessintheirrespectivefields.

Similarly,ChinaandtheUSshouldnotcompetewitheachotherintheirrespectivefieldsofexpertise.Instead,theyshouldcomplementeachotherwheretheycanformutualbenefit.

SomepeopleintheUSmaytakeChina"srapideconomicdevelopmentsincethelaunchofreformandopening-upasasignofChinacompetingwiththeUS.IfAmericansbelievetheChineseeconomyshouldnotovertaketheUSeconomy,theyshouldcomeupwithavalidlegalandmoraljustificationfortheirbelief.

Washingtonisprobablyconfused.IftheUSthinksthataftertheChineseeconomyovertakestheUSeconomy,Chinawillimposeitsideology,politicalsystemandwayoflifeontheUS,itissimplywrong.Chinabelievesthatitscontinuousdevelopmentisinevitableandnocountrycanstopitandanyattempttodosoandthusdeprive1.4billionChinesepeopleoftheirrightwouldbethebiggestcrimeagainsthumanity.

Chinawantstoconvinceeverycountryintheworld,especiallytheUS,thatneitherinthepastwhenChinawasamuchsmallereconomydidittrytoimposeitsdevelopmentmodelorpoliticalsystemonanothercountrynorwillitdosonowwhenitisthesecond-largesteconomyorinthefuturewhenitovertakestheUSasaneconomy(Muskhaspredictedthatbythemiddleofthiscentury,China"seconomycouldbedoublethesizeoftheUS).Rather,Chinawilltreatallcountriesasequals,includingandespeciallytheUS.

ForChinaandtheUS,thebestwayforwardistoliveandletlive.

TheUSadministrationhasrestrictedtheexportsofsemiconductorchipstoBeijingintheirbidtodenyitaccesstoadvancedchipsnotonlyfromtheUSbutalsofromJapan,theRepublicofKoreaandtheTaiwanisland.ThereareatleasttwobasicdefectsintheUS"chipwarstrategy.

First,thestrategyrunsfoulofthebasicbusinessimperativeofdealingwithyourlargestcustomerwithcareandlong-termvision,andChinahasbeenthelargestcustomeroftheUSsemiconductorsectorformanyyears.Byprohibitingchipmanufacturersfromsellingtheirproductstotheirlargestcustomer,theUSmayactuallycausethedeclineofitschip-manufacturingsector,evendestroyit.Paradoxically,theUSchipwarmaypromptChinatoachieveself-sufficiencyinchips.

Therefore,byweaponizingsemiconductorsinaColdWar-style,theUSmayeitherachieveapyrrhicvictoryor,morelikely,sufferadevastatingdefeat.

WashingtonhasalsobeenusingtheTaiwanquestiontoraisetensionsacrosstheTaiwanStraitandtheAsia-Pacificregion.However,acarefulreadingoftheCairoDeclarationandthePotsdamProclamation,whichmakecleartheunconditionalsurrenderoffascistJapaninWorldWarII,willtellyouthatTaiwanisaninalienablepartofChina.TheUnitedNations,too,recognizesthisfact.

NooneinhisorherrightframeofmindwouldtrytochangetheUS"acknowledgementsince1979thatthereisonlyoneChinaandTaiwanispartofChina,andthegovernmentofthePeople"sRepublicofChinaisthesolelegitimaterepresentativeofChina.Giventhelegitimacyoftheone-Chinaprinciple,ChinahasmadeitamplyclearthattheUShasnorighttointerfereintheTaiwanquestion,becauseit"sChina"sinternalmatter.

It"stimetheUSrealizedthatTaiwancanneverbeanindependentstatebecausetheseparatistsontheislandwillneverbeallowedtosecedetheislandfromthemotherland.

RatherthanbeingmisguidedbytheChinaandUS"destinedforwar"fallacyandcreatingtroubleintheregion,theUSshoulddevotetimetoputtingSino-UStiesbackontherighttrack,andrestoringpeaceandpromotingdevelopmentacrosstheworld,sothetwocountriescancoexistpeacefully.

Theviewsdon"tnecessarilyreflectthoseofChinaDaily.

TheauthorischairprofessoratSoochowUniversityandvice-presidentoftheCenterforChinaandGlobalization.