Any easing of China-U.S. relations will have twists and turns, and material improvement is unlikely to come soon. But both sides can learn from America’s Cold War standoff with the USSR, when mechanisms were built that avoided war. That process can be followed again.

China and Russia recently released a joint statement to strengthen the strategic partnership between the two countries. But while Russia is now poised to get closer to China than it was before, it still has a long way to go to catch up to the U.S.-China relationship.

The hype over a separation of China and the United States is rooted in a new cold war mentality. But Premier Li Qiang said the two can and must cooperate. There is much they can achieve by working together, while encirclement and suppression is in no one’s interest.

At the recent two sessions of the National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference in Beijing, Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Foreign Minister Qin Gang reiterated China's policy towards the US. Their statements included several important messages that the US should take to heart if it hopes to manage the Sino-US relationship successfully.

The deteriorating state of Sino-American relations is causing increasing concern as both sides engage in aggressive rhetoric and actions across multiple dimensions of their relationship. Academics, corporations, investors, and citizens must prepare for the worst by scenario planning, and adjusting their mindsets to brace for a prolonged period of rivalry, while remaining on the lookout for opportunities for collaboration and bridge-building.

The U.S. and many of its allies rely heavily on the Chinese economy. Decoupling is not realistic and would only lead to long-term economic decline. On its current path — which is nothing if not clumsy — the Biden administration is only hurting the American people.

Qin Gang countered the false narrative pushed by the United States that frames China as an aggressive, coercive pillager. The balloon incident, a supposed Chinese plan to sell arms to Russia and allegations that Beijing intends to attack Taiwan soon only feed misunderstanding.

It is crucial to prepare for all-out China-U.S. competition. The country that can best demonstrate wisdom, willpower and courage will have the advantage over time, and new cooperation models may alter the trajectory of history.

The heightened tensions between the U.S. and China are here to stay until both sides can reach common ground - which may have to begin in literal form in locations that both sides can send representatives to dialogue over critical issues.

Western advocates of a renewed standoff between great powers are blinded by their biases, as China’s rise goes beyond Western experience. At a time of deep economic interdependence and with weapons unimaginable in the past, who can guarantee that a confrontation would not escalate out of control?