Two presidents focused on restoring communication, expanding dialogue and managing risks, and they reached many points of agreement. But the United States is entering a contentious political campaign season, which is sure to include an increase in strident anti-China rhetoric.

The summit meeting of presidents Xi Jinping and Joe Biden was an opportunity to redefine the narrative, find balance and set a precedent for a more predictable framework in which global challenges can be tackled together. The world is watching.

In the following interview with James Chau of China-US Focus, Swaine, an expert in China and East Asian security studies, explains why the two governments need to acknowledge their own contributions to mutual mistrust and the decline in bilateral relations. He also sees China as a key player on the world stage that needs to exercise its influence more directly. The interview has been lightly edited for clarity.

The summit meeting between Presidents Biden and Xi Jinping south of San Francisco has provided new and important stability to the fluctuant and stressed U.S.-China relationship. In the absence of a joint agreed statement, both governments put forward their own interpretations of what was said and agreed in the discussions. These respective interpretations were, not surprisingly, in agreement concerning sensitive issues in the relationship. Nonetheless, a number of “deliverables” were announced.

The China-U.S. relationship is not going to rise from its low point anytime soon. An election year is approaching in America, and it will be fraught with anti-China rhetoric. With few opportunities for the leaders to meet and set a new course, the upcoming APEC leaders meeting in San Francisco will be pivotal.

Constructive progress on the diplomatic front is a positive development, but China and the United States are nevertheless experiencing some growing challenges. But exaggerating the competitive aspects of the relationship could be misleading.

If presidents Xi Jinping and Joe Biden can meet this month, getting China-U.S. ties back on the rails will get a much-needed boost on the order the their Bali meeting. The current international scene is chaotic, and China-U.S. relations are at a critical crossroads. The two sides must learn to co-exist and cooperate.

Click to watch the videoLadies and gentlemen, greetings from Beijing!My name is Nick Burns, I am the American Ambassador to the People's Republic of China. My t

It is a great pleasure to revisit Hong Kong virtually and join friends, old and new, online at the Hong Kong Forum on U.S.-China Relations to discuss the bilateral relationship and explore the path forward.

All eyes are on the upcoming leaders’ meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), to be held in San Francisco from November 11-17. And with good reason: there is a distinct possibility that US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping will meet on the sidelines of this pan-regional gathering, exactly one year after their last summit in Bali on the eve of the annual G20 summit.