The past two years witnessed the Chinese leadership enunciating a “Chinese Dream” visions for the nation and offering to share the prospects of prosperity and stability with the entire Asia Pacific region and beyond.

After heated discussions, even confronting debates, the 7th S&ED has still achieved more than 190 results, which clearly illustrates the solid base for bilateral relations.

The desire for peace, mutual respect, and economic cooperation is already winning the hearts and minds of everyday people on both sides of the Pacific. Their voices may seldom make the headlines, but they are a critical foundation of this important relationship.

A major piece in the most recent weekend edition of the Wall Street Journal points out that it’s time to rethink about the U.S. relations with China. This thought provoking article is extremely timely and the issues raised are critical to the future of both countries.

Mutual trust is essential for candid exchanges and sincere collaboration. This is an indispensable precondition for China and the U.S. to formulate a new-type major-country relationship and take advantage of historical opportunities such as President Xi’s upcoming U.S. visit.

Contrary to America’s desire to impose universal values on the rest of the world, China’s nationalism does not inform or direct its foreign policy. This is exemplified by the institutional contrasts between the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor and China’s Confucius Institutes.

The Secretary of State deepened the understanding between two countries at this critical time, but the chatter around the visit reminds both countries that consensus is easy to reach but hard to actualize. Upcoming high-level meetings, including President Xijping’s September State visit to Washington, provide opportunities to expand that critical understanding.

Full speech by Fu Ying, China’s NPC Chairwoman of Foreign Affairs Committee, at the University of Chicago on May 19. She talked about China’s growth and its experience with the evolving world order.

Interactions among China, Japan and the United States have gone far beyond the constraints of political stereotypes. The flow of capital, material, technology and people has brought the countries ever closer together. Embracing common interests, not “balancing power”, is the key to peace and prosperity for all three.