U.S. President Joe Biden often talks about leading the world. But if sanctions are what he meant, and if abusing the national security exception against WTO members is the means, the global economic system would be better off without America.

My recent commentary, “Only China Can Stop Russia,” stirred up strong arguments on both sides of the increasingly contentious debate over the horrific war in Ukraine. While most in the West recognize the need for extraordinary actions in extraordinary times and agree that China has an important role to play in resolving the conflict, those sympathetic to Russia’s concerns over border security and NATO enlargement argue that China has no reason to weigh in. But both posed the obvious and important follow-up question: What exactly can China do to restore peace and stability to Ukraine?

I don’t know if it’s by accident or design but the United Nations Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow, and the G-20 Summit that preceded it in Rome, were scheduled around Halloween and the Day of the Dead. Most governments seem afraid to face the existential challenge of climate change and are more spooked by an army of highly-paid lobbyists than by an infinitely more powerful Mother Nature. At the same time, however, promising innovations coming from NGOs and a core of socially responsible companies offer a slim glimmer of sunshine amidst the gloom.

China’s “two lists” and “three bottom lines” clearly lay out China’s basic interests. If the United States truly wants to compete responsibly, it must respect China’s interests and understand its concerns. Only this approach can avoid a slide into conflict.

Experts give their recommendations about how to move forward in the fight against COVID-19. Step 1: China and the United States should shelve their disputes and lead global cooperation.

East Asia’s underlying regional identity has always emerged in moments of crisis. The current pandemic provides an opportunity to more formally develop the mechanisms of community.

Can the premier forum for international coordination, survive the turbulence created by the confluence of nationalism and COVID-19? Or will it be relegated to a diminished role? The answer isn’t clear.

Double trouble is headed our way if major countries fail to put aside their geopolitical squabbles and and work together, if only temporarily. The epidemic cannot be ended by one country acting on its own.

It’s time for the world to pull together toward the same goal. Only that will get us through the coronavirus epidemic. Failing to cooperate risks a slide into even deeper crises.

The China-US reconciliation at the Osaka G20 Summit grants opportunities for a new trade deal to stabilize the global economy. However, if protectionism, populism, and international tensions go unchecked, the summit’s benefits are likely to be short-lived.