After a 40 plus year run, the U.S.-China relationship has come to the proverbial fork in the road. Which way will America go?

The deterioration of China-U.S. relations has not ended, and a turnaround is unlikely. Given the intense frictions of recent years, both countries have built up a fixed mindset about diplomatic strategy that has been incorporated in their domestic politics. Superb diplomatic skills will be needed to avert confrontation.

The world has entered a new phase, one that presents new implications for the China-U.S. relationship. As time goes on, adjustments will be made, and some quarrels are inevitable. But in the end, a new type of relations will emerge.

The U.S.-China talks in Alaska will set the stage for future interaction. After public and private meetings met with frustration on both sides, it’s possible a real dialogue has begun. But one thing is certain: China is ready to get down to business.

Alarming headlines coming from the Alaska summit between the U.S. and China spell out a doomsday scenario, but the reality is both parties came prepared to share strong language to satisfy domestic audiences.

It wasn’t just the weather that was cold when senior US and Chinese officials convened recently in Anchorage, Alaska to try to reset their countries’ relations after four years of mounting tension. Sadly, the meeting was more reminiscent of the Cold War era than of a fresh start. That needs to change quickly – before it is too late.

What was meant to be a diplomatic summit in Alaska turned into an ideological slugfest between China and the U.S.’s top diplomats, displaying cultural differences holding the two nations apart.

Prudence and pragmatism should guide China’s approach in the wake of initial talks that featured some hard-nosed rhetoric. Whether the meeting kick-starts new China-U.S. engagement or only serves to maintain — or even heighten — tensions remain to be seen.

The negativity of China-U.S. talks in Alaska risks a further downward spiral and an unhealthy new normal. But it’s an improvement over the Trump era. If the parties keep expectations low and maintain mutual respect, they should be able to replace their free-falling relationship with a more stable one.