The US-China rivalry is the most dominant aspect of 21st-century geopolitics, significantly impacting the world. It has expanded across various fields and geographies. The Gulf region, which was mainly absorbing the geopolitical heat of this rivalry, has also witnessed it in the technological sphere, especially artificial intelligence (AI). Two larger projects, G42 in the UAE and the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia, are particularly notable.

Talking, even through hard times, is not only necessary but also meaningful, because the audience is wider than just the two participants. People are listening at the bilateral, regional and global levels.

A floor needs to be established for bilateral interactions so that breakdowns can be avoided. In the post-Kissinger era, new interlocutors between Beijing and Washington are also needed — people who understand both countries and who can present creative ideas through safe channels.

In early April, Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping engaged in a phone call. While both sides have had differing takes on the same conversation, it’s undeniably beneficial for both leaders to engage in dialogue, particularly amidst tensions and significant areas of disagreement.

As if things were not complicated enough before, the political campaign season in the U.S. is upon us, with all its expected anti-China rhetoric. The recent visit to China of U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen applied some needed salve. She made measurable progress through frank discussions.

The story of Wu and Yue presents the Eastern idea of partnerships — “You are in me, and I am in you” is the way Chinese President Xi Jinping put it. Differences between China and America should not impede collaborative efforts for the common good.

The U.S. treasury secretary visited China recently, and by many measures it was successful. She demonstrated excellent public diplomacy and engaged in many healthy dialogues, which China welcomed. And yet the United States is the source of continued friction on many fronts.

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen recently visited China. The visit and the core messages that accompanied it were remarkable because they evinced an America short on confidence but imbued with its historic sense of entitlement.

Defining the relationship between China and the United States primarily as one of competition — as the U.S. is doing — is dangerous and not advisable. Competition can easily turn into conflict. The long-term U.S. posture on this will depend upon the outcome of the presidential election.

The United States and China have opened communication channels in many touchy areas. But they have yet to do so in the field of technology competition, which has risen to a level of sensitivity on par with Taiwan and the South China Sea. It is urgent for the two nations to create such a mechanism now.