U.S. policy-makers must recognize that the most productive path forward is not to maneuver into constant conflict with China but rather to concentrate on our own competitiveness, to restore a sense of national unity, and to re-emerge from the current political cycle as an example of an open market democracy that others are both willing and able to emulate.

Fading is the “mutually assured destruction” (MAD) defining of Cold War rivalries, as great power relations have marinated long enough in globalization to give way to a deep interdependence, one which lends itself more so to Mutually Assured Gains or “MAG”. Such is the case with U.S.-China relations, though the national-level of this relationship offers more of a precarious bag of mixed results.

Trump has articulated a vision for the Indo-Pacific. Has he thought it through?

China led the way on innovative cooperation at the APEC summit, as the U.S. and Japan faltered.

America’s attempts to contain China will fail, because, time and again, economics trumps politics.

Faced with a global economy in transition, we should uphold multilateralism, pursue shared growth through consultation and collaboration, forge closer partnerships, and build a community with a shared future for mankind.

Trump will be visiting China Nov 8-10 as part of Asia tour, White House has announced.

The loss of momentum for the Trans-Pacific Partners agreement has diminished the US’ standing as a global power, and taken the wind out of the sails of President Obama’s Pivot to Asia strategy. The result is a brighter prospect for a more regional partnership and China’s push to establish a Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP).

The US and major Western powers’ “political turn” brings both opportunities and challenges to China. The main challenge is the rise of trade and investment protectionism, resulting in increasing impediments to foreign trade and overseas investment. The main opportunity is that China may become the leader of international free trade earlier than anticipated, and China-led regional cooperation schemes, such as the RCEP, thus becomes more influential.

Expectations are high as leaders meet to promote strong trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, and develop partnerships characterized by inter-connectivity, unity, consultation, development and shared benefits.