When South Sudan succeeded from the North, analysts predicted a prolonged period of confrontation. However, Khartoum and Juba recently agreed to resolve several outstanding disputes, with the promise of talks in the future.

For most of its history, the relationship between China and the US has been defined by the relative asymmetry in power between the two countries. Such imbalance has given rise to complex and often contradictory views of one another between Chinese and Americans. Now however, it is possible to chart a new course forward based on mutual symmetry and respect.

In spite of the fact that China and the US have converging interests in counter-terrorism, nuclear non-proliferation and Palestine-Israel peace in the Middle East, it can be noted that some of their fundamental political and security interests are different, and even conflict with each other.

The US rebalancing to the Asia-Pacific can hardly be taken as a positive development. China should certainly take due steps to respond to the adverse consequences of the new US strategy, but not overreact.

Increasingly harsh rhetoric and combative trade actions between China and the US have given rise to the belief both countries are inevitably headed toward a new Cold-War style confrontation. However this outdated Cold-War framework does not take into account the full extent of China-US ties and the shared incentives both countries have in seeing the other succeed.

China’s mission is for peaceful development towards a harmonious world. This cannot be accomplished without healthy and stable relations between major countries, especially between China and the US.

From a scholarly perspective, the rise of China and the resulting “power shift” that has accompanied this rise has provided a host of teachable moments. Nowhere is this more clearly seen than in the ongoing territorial disputes in the East China Sea.

As the U.S.-China relationship continues to grow, in size and complexity, what are the implications of this once-in-a-decade leadership transition, especially for bilateral interaction? Dr. Henry A. Kissinger is joined by former Ambassador to China J. Stapleton Roy, former Fellow Dr. Cheng Li, and China scholar Dr. David M. Lampton to discuss the possible implications for U.S.-China relations of this once-in-a-decade power transition.

The surge of tensions between China and Japan has gained considerable attention worldwide. However, many observers were caught off guard when Taiwan exercised their territorial claims by sending a flotilla of fishing boats to the disputed islands.

Despite the US’ claims to impartiality in the territorial disputes in the South and East China Seas, it has made its preference very clear - entirely at the expense of China. US involvement in the region stands at the crossroads, with the current US course destined to only bring increased tension.