The recent agreement hammered out by major powers, the UN and Iran set a powerful example for resolving regional and international problems. The hard work is far from over, as suspicion lingers in Washington, Tehran and some Arab capitals, but the success so far shows that difficult issues can be resolved through negotiation when all parties are sincere about achieving a result.

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.

Beijing’s celebration of the 70th anniversary of the end of world war is meant to project China as a peace-loving country determined to prevent such trauma from happening again. If the rise of China is the most important event in the 21 century, the message from the Tian’anmen Square parade is clear: The PLA can help to make the world a safer place.

China’s modernization and international engagement reflect a trend for our times, and serve the common interests of the world. To achieve common prosperity for all, China seeks a new system based on cooperation, not confrontation.

Shi Yinhong considers the role that China should play as a global strategic power and considers the implications of China’s future development for China-US relations.