Speeches by Xi Jinping and Joe Biden laid out their understanding of the international political order from the perspective of their own national history. Developed nations in the West may identify with the U.S. vision, while developing nations may find the Chinese vision more attractive.

While the release of Meng Wanzhou to China and Michael Spavor and Michael Korvig to Canada gives cause to celebrate, the underlying reasons that led to their detainments must be analyzed.

As the United States redistributes resources in response to complex dynamics with regard to China, its approach is likely to be an evolutionary, full-spectrum endeavor that goes beyond the military alone. It’s a posture that will be difficult to maintain and one that could even create chaos.

“There is only one system in the world, and that is the international system with the United Nations at its core,” President Xi Jinping said. “There is only one order, and that is the international order based on international law.”

Meng Wanzhou’s release, along with Canada’s two Michaels, breaks a deadlock in a geopolitical tug-of-war. It presents an opportunity to restore mutual trust between China and the U.S. in the sci-tech sector. A crackdown on China now would be ill-timed.

The sordid tale of a Huawei executive — held hostage in Canada under pressure from the United States — ends with a whimper, not a bang. And the world is worse off for it. Yet the aimless machinations of a wayward superpower continue.

A three-tier diplomatic architecture is needed under which leaders at the top level can break the ice and remove roadblocks for those below. While there are some grounds for concern of a possible bilateral breakup, this cannot be allowed to happen. There is safety in clarity.

The release could serve to ease the tense relations with Beijing.

It was another rocky week in the U.S.-China relationship.

While tough-talk on both sides of the U.S.-China relationship has come to dominate reports on the topic - precedent shows that quiet accommodation behind the scenes may parallel the new administration’s anti-China rhetoric.