In 2018, US President Donald Trump declared that the US had erred in backing China’s accession into the World Trade Organization in 2001. He was convicted that such political establishment had been lulled by China’s still juvenile economic situation in the late 1980s, and that American politicians failed to grasp that supporting China’s candidacy would create a political and economic risk to the US’ global hegemony.

There is lots of room for China-U.S. cooperation, but it won’t happen automatically. A concerted effort by both is needed. The Americans should recognize that China is a trustworthy partner, not a rival, when it comes to Afghan affairs. China, too, will need to change its thinking.

(The following is the keynote speech by Chinese ambassador to the United States Mr. Qin Gang at the welcome event hosted by the National Committee on US-China R

Conventional logic would say that new leadership should open a broad window to reset relationships between nations. Yet as the first 6 months of the Biden presidency shows, the story is not always so cut-and-dry.

In the year 2034, the United States and China become embroiled in a series of military conflicts that escalate into a devastating tactical nuclear war. Other countries – including Russia, Iran, and India – get involved. Suddenly, the world is on the verge of World War III.

China has sought to reinvent its image time-and-time again as it has grown - and its latest iteration features a healthy dose of fiery nationalism.

Reassuring verbal messages from high levels in the United States government regarding China are nice to hear but are little more than public relations. American credibility is so poor that few believe such statements are sincere. Actions speak louder than words, and they tell a different story.

China and United States should distinguish between strategic competition and a struggle for supremacy, as doing so would help avoid stepping over a boundary line beyond which competition turns into a drive for hegemony and world domination.

Recent events in Sino-American relations indicate that China may no longer be willing to work with the United States on managing contentious issues or buffering the rivalry between the two powers. Beijing’s recent interactions with American officials indicate a new uncompromising and “maximalist” approach, based on the belief that America is in terminal decline and its need to compromise or show deference is over.

They won’t resolve the significant issue of how China and the U.S. should go forward. But at least the talks established a strategic consensus on managing competition. More talks are likely — even amid quarrels.