The future of China-U.S. relations obviously depends on the two countries’ respective choices. The good news is that a window of opportunity is now open to create a new approach after years of turmoil driven by the Trump administration.

Recent events have left an unsavory impression of China on most Americans, framing the conflict between the U.S. and its rival power as a zero sum game. By focusing only on overtaking China, the U.S. risks being left behind as China’s plans for expansion circumvent American influence.

There’s no evidence indicating that U.S.-China relations will turn for the better simply because Biden takes over the presidency. But the opposite is true as well: There is no reason to pass up an opportunity to ease tensions and strive for a reset.

U.S. President Donald Trump has suffered a decisive loss in his trade war with China. It is now in the interest of both countries to speedily resume trade and investment cooperation, cooperate to end the COVID-19 threat and implement the Paris climate accord.

A strong framework needs to be built in which China and the United States can operate together with little ambiguity. The two countries are currently positioned to benefit the world, if only they are willing to seize the moment.

China and the United States have patched things up before, but this time it’s going to be more difficult. The necessity of doing so, however, remains. Neither country can afford instability, much less war.

After waiting for the political dust to settle following the U.S. election, President Xi Jinping congratulated President-elect Joe Biden and revealed key expectations about China-U.S. relations going forward.

As the U.S. attempts to divide Chinese society, its suppression of industry, verbal attacks and ideological stigmatization all point at painful, challenging conundrums in China’s development and reforms.

Devising an effective strategy to compete, cooperate, and co-exist with China will be one of US President-elect Joe Biden’s toughest foreign-policy challenges. And over the next two months, Sino-American relations are almost certain to get worse.