A Testing Time
There have been some welcome signs that Beijing and Washington are restarting high-level dialogues that can help stabilize the bilateral ties and create on a road map for future exchanges. U.S. President Joe Biden in his latest comments predicted a “thaw” in relations with China. However, the uncertainties, disagreements and mistrust that have grown in the past few years continue to dominate the relationship and challenge efforts to rebuild cooperative rapport.
The three interviews in this issue provide a valuable overview of the current state of this relationship. Professor Wang Jisi discusses the need for the two countries to collaborate in a complex world, while Dr. Michael Swaine focuses on the challenges that lie ahead. Craig Allen, president of the U.S. China Business Council, emphasizes the importance of managing conflicts and stabilizing the relationship.
Commentaries by contributors featured in this issue reflect the fact that China-U.S. relations are at a critical juncture. They also suggest that the two countries need to keep the lines of communication open, develop new ways to manage disagreements and conflicts.
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