Long the ballast of China-U.S. relations, bilateral trade is now a sore point.

Chinese Ambassador to the United States Cui Tiankai urged U.S. to "make the right choice at the crossroads of history" for relations with China.

By turning inward and prioritizing a few domestic factories over the larger dynamics at play between the U.S. and China, President Trump seems to be fighting the small battles and conceding the bigger ones.

Both China and the U.S. have instituted a waiting period before the $50 billion tariffs take effect, with the hope that negotiation may prevent either administration from having to implement them. How likely is it that the countries will come to an agreement?

While Xi’s speech at the Boao Forum did not outline any particularly new or bold initiatives, policy makers in Washington, D.C. should take these market opening moves as the basis for negotiating an agreement.

China plays a positive role in the world system.

China has the means and the will to take the US on.

President Trump, whose popularity has recently risen, according to polls, still feels that he is a hero who dares to challenge China. He seems to be unaware of the danger of economic instability.

As RAND points out, government subsidization of aircraft manufacturers is a conflict between Boeing and Airbus that the U.S. and E.U. have yet to resolve. If they do not establish norms now, there will be little recourse against generous Chinese governmental support of its aerospace industry in the coming years.

With a 3 month window, if the two countries can engage in meaningful talks, a deal is still possible, and a trade war can be kept at bay.