For both sides, statesmanship and long-term political commitment is essential at critical moments, as was repeatedly evidenced in the Sino-US relations since the ice-breaking contact in early 1970s. Washington and Beijing must look beyond semantics and embrace a new type of relationship that meets both sides’ goals of peace and progress.

Although US willingness to engage China in the international system seems to be diminishing, the Chinese president’s upcoming state visit is an opportunity to get a new type of major-country relationship back on track. This will accumulate more positive energy if both countries seek functional cooperation in deferent spheres by practical and systematic means.

Even on controversial issues, cooperation—instead of confrontation—is key to finding solutions.

President Xi Jinping will visit the United States in September, partaking in a high stakes, scripted, state dinner with President Obama and other dignitaries at the White House. The Chinese leader will be in the neighborhood for the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the United Nations.

The view of mainstream Americans about China is the key to formulating any US grand strategy toward Beijing. Today, while some domestic politics has negative effects, we need more dialogues to enhance transparency and control third-party factors with prudent management and precaution.

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.

Some scholars say the much-talked-about New Model of Major-Country Relationship is being discarded before it even gets off the drawing board. But at the upcoming Xi-Obama meeting, common interests will stimulate common values, and strengthen the willingness to sail in the same ship.

The US’s self-proclaimed “American Century” has led Washington to assume that it “had the right or responsibility to order the world’s affairs,” two prominent American scholars, which has resulted in a series of military failed adventures that could never have resolved enormously complex issues. As the US presidential election approaches, a reality check is in order.

American hawks who regard China as an implacable geopolitical adversary exhibit an unhealthy foreign policy perspective. But U.S. leaders and the American public also need to be careful not to lean too far in the other direction—toward an appeasement policy toward Beijing.

The US pursues increasingly aggressive strategies against Russia, partly because it perceives Russia’s national power as too diminished to wage a meaningful fight, and now it has to face the music. Washington must cool things off by abandoning confrontation.