China hosted a visit this week to its sole aircraft carrier by senior U.S. Navy officers amid tensions over reported plans by Washington to challenge Beijing's territorial claims in the South China Sea.

Given the rising hostility toward China in some American political circles, and the growing calls for a confrontational policy, the modest achievements made in the realms of cyber, the South China Sea, and North Korea are commendable.

Following President Xi’s recent visit to the U.S., Xi’s concept of “a new model of great power relations” seems to be back on the China-U.S. agenda. Originally pushed by Xi and now being reconsidered by Obama, this concept suggests a major turning point for both countries.

As Chinese President Xi Jinping begins his trip to the United States in Seattle, home to many of the world’s leading technology firms, most observers are looking ahead to his subsequent meeting with President Barack Obama. Can the summit reverse the downward spiral in US-China relations that began with Xi’s accession to power in 2013?

There is no lack of communication between Washington and Beijing on the South China Sea issue, which will likely be on the agenda of the Xi-Obama meeting in September. If China’s “dual-track” approach to the issue can be wed to the new model of major-country relationship between China and the United States, they can reach some accommodation and reduce the chance of a showdown.

Apart from meeting China’s own defense needs, the activity is also based on a 1987 request from the United Nations. By constructing civilian facilities on the islands and reefs in a transparent way, China is contributing to navigational safety and raising the level of maritime cooperation in the region.

Lucio Blanco Pitlo III analyzes the historical and political contexts that have increased the strategic importance of the South China Sea (SCS) for the Philippines and China. Despite the obvious clashes in the SCS positions of the two countries, avenues for collaboration remain open.

Beyond search-and-rescue cooperation and crisis management, creating hotlines between China and the 10 ASEAN countries would carry a no less important symbolism: the consensus that the South China Sea issue is not an issue between them as a whole.

Many US scholars see confrontation as the key to preserving the global dominance of the US, even to the point of seeking regime change in China. That outdated outlook is dangerous to all parties in today’s world and a threat to stability.

The Philippines manipulative and dishonest actions in the South China Sea have tried Beijing’s patience too far, and perhaps that of the United States as well.