It’s no hidden secret that U.S.-China relations have been on the rocks in recent memory. Though both sides are willing to go through the motions of performative summits, the reality of policy taking shape on both sides belies the aggression coming from leadership from both countries.

President Joe Biden has expressed optimism about the U.S.-China relationship. But regardless of whether his positive outlook is warranted, disengagement is “not the way out.” Washington and Beijing must find a new way to get along.

American hand-wringing over China’s socialist system as an alternative for human development has led to a lot of mud-slinging. The U.S. is struggling to maintain its global dominance and is now turning to institutional tools.

This needs to happen if the two great powers expect to reconcile. But it won’t be easy. The Biden administration has continued to damage China-U.S. relations, even as it asks China to be restrained. China may find it increasingly difficult to trust the United States.

The United States is playing a two-faced game: It says all the right peaceful words but then does things that undermine peace and understanding. The recent restart of high-level talks raises hope for renewed cooperation — and that should be welcomed even if it’s limited at first.

After three months without high-level dialogue or contacts between the American and Chinese governments, the past week saw a flurry of direct exchanges. The talks were meant to stabilize strained ties, put a floor under the deteriorating relationship and work out a road map for future discussions and exchanges. While prudence is warranted, there can be some solace taken in the fact that senior officials are at least talking directly again.

The Austria meeting between China’s Wang Yi and America’s Jake Sullivan has injected positive energy into China-U.S. relations, not only for both major economies but also for the global economic recovery. It kept the door open for future dialogue and moved a step closer to stability.

China and the United States are showing early signs of rapprochement on major strategic issues, offering hope for positive movement in the future. But a gap remains between the Biden administration’s rhetoric and its deeds. Practical action to fulfill policy commitments is a crucial first step toward trust.

The deepened military relations between China and Russia was inevitable in response to challenges from the West. Conflict does not arise simply over current security considerations. It may be triggered by concerns over the changing international balance of power.

China has no motive to engage in ideological competition or confrontation with the United States. Its defense of its own ideological foundation is a natural response to U.S. rhetoric. The so-called ideological competition is nothing but an American fabrication.