Could China’s export infrastructure drive be at risk from its actions in the South China Sea? To win overseas infrastructure contracts, China may have to choose between a trouble free ‘going out’ strategy, and an aggressive ‘island-building’ South China Sea policy.

The U.S.-China Strategic Dialogue, the seventh of its kind, will take place soon amidst an increasing rivalry between the two countries. Ensuring stable peace and continued prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region will require both countries to replace their self-serving interpretations of the other’s strategic intentions with more sober assessments.

What exactly is America's gripe with China in the South China Sea? The question becomes more and more important as the future of the world's most vital bilateral relationship becomes more and more dependent on what happens in this much-contested waterway. And the answer is not very clear.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter’s speech at the just concluded Shangri-La Dialogue had a theme of attacking China. He irresponsibly dumped blame on China for its construction activities on its own isles and reefs in the South China Sea, accusing China of sabotaging security in the Asia Pacific.

With good reason, Chinese leaders wonder whether the pivot to Asia is the initial stage of a containment policy directed against their country. Similarly, U.S. officials are likely to become concerned about China’s attention and investment in Latin America, not helped by suspicions about China’s intentions in the South China Sea.

The ongoing dispute threatens to drive U.S.-China relations permanently in a far more adversarial, zero-sum direction and destabilize the region.

The ongoing series of high-level meetings show that, despite pressures from third-party players, Beijing and Washington value a cooperative relationship and mutual understanding that should continue to strengthen.

China’s reclamation work offshore is not threats to other countries, but will improve the region’s weather forecasting and maritime-rescue capacity. The US and other countries, as well as international organizations, will be welcome to make use of the facilities it will build, so as to advance cooperation on humanitarian aid and disaster relief.

While it runs counter to the notion that China is “aggressive” in the South China Sea, the maritime delimitation agreement with Vietnam is important for both media and international scholars to study for a deeper understanding of China’s practice in dispute resolution.

South China Sea territorial claims — at least in Reed Bank — is really about energy. If all sides recast dangerous nationalistic posturing to more hard-headed economic calculation, it opens the way for more rational, mutual gain negotiations. These could center upon joint development of South China Sea resources. This, as an alternative to war.