“Strategic Patience” has not served the US well as a policy, nor has a collection of unilaterally pursued sanctions, diplomatic pressure, isolation and military deterrence. Even late in a president’s second term, there is an opportunity to shift gears and seek a new approach.

Because of both past history and the extreme potential danger posed by the weapons themselves, people have reason to demand that Japan show an honest and responsible attitude, and to take action to dispel concerns of the international community about its nuclear intentions.

The Iranian nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Cooperation Plan of Action, is attributable to foreign policy adjustments by both the US and Iran, and the decision to meet each other half way.

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.

Although the recent Iran nuclear agreement is welcome, China and the U.S. have important tasks to perform to keep Iran from becoming a real, as opposed to a virtual, nuclear weapons state. The Iranian model will not apply to Korea and other proliferation challenges given the different elements of these threats.

As the world becomes increasingly multi-polar, there has been much discussion of a new model for major-power relations and how they might shape a modern world order. The recent breakthrough in negotiations with Iran shows that the idea is moving from rhetoric to reality.

The most fundamental driving force for the pact is the profound and deepening development toward a multipolar world. Economic globalization has closely integrated the interests of all countries, and the conception of a community of common destiny for all mankind has taken root, replacing the sort of unilateralism most recently practiced by the United States.

Even an inconclusive agreement will benefit both countries, as US dominance of the global marketplace declines and makes remaining sanctions less workable.

Mutual trust has been slow to evolve on the political front, but that continues to be key for any meaningful deal.

As permanent members of the UN Security Council, Chinese and U.S. leaders should look beyond the recent deadlocked Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and use their next U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue to make further progress in promoting nuclear disarmament, nuclear non-proliferation, and supporting the safe and secure peaceful use of nuclear energy.