China’s membership is not a threat. Rather, it is a sustainable framework for the United States to prosper. Both sides could well complement each other and grow together, benefiting our people and the world over.

A window of opportunity is open to prevent slipping into a pattern of entrenched strategic competition — which is why the question matters now. Relations between China and Europe are moving from an era of sectoral competition to an era in which competition embraces the entire economic ecosystem.

The European Union’s China policy is trapped in a glaring contradiction. Officially, Brussels frames China as a “partner, competitor and systemic rival.” In practice, however, the rivalry narrative has overridden all other dimensions and eroding the foundation of cooperation.

Trump’s tariffs failed to reshore manufacturing or reduce trade deficits, instead weakening U.S. alliances and strengthening China’s global position. They accelerated a shift in power toward control of supply chains and critical materials—an area where China holds a decisive advantage.

Every new restriction on trade between the United States and China is supposed to pull the two economies apart—or so we are told. But the global economy refuses to cooperate with the conventional wisdom. In fact, each round of tariffs, export controls, and investment screening has been accompanied by more of the investments that cement the Sino-American economic relationship. Until policymakers recognize this paradox, talk of “decoupling” will describe a world that does not exist.

While the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Trump administration’s IEEPA tariffs, Washington has continued to pursue unilateral tariff policies through other legal mechanisms, creating ongoing uncertainty in global trade. China and the United States should therefore move beyond tariff confrontation and focus on stable, mutually beneficial cooperation in trade, investment, and emerging technologies.

The Turnberry System is a way to replace the WTO-based postwar multilateral trading system with bilateral agreements. It marks a significant turning point in global trade rules and will profoundly impact the global trade landscape.

It is highly anticipated that even with a continued mix of tensions and collaboration, 2026 will see more of the positive and less of the negative, thus benefiting the people of both countries and the world at large.

A world order without the United States has been discussed widely. One example relates to reform of the World Trade Organization, whose dispute settlement mechanism has been paralyzed by the U.S. since 2019. Now there could be a solution.

High import duties on Chinese goods have become the new normal for the United States. While there’s lots of talk about renewed stability with China after the presidents met in South Korea, but the world’s two largest economies appear to be learning how to live apart.