Prudence and pragmatism should guide China’s approach in the wake of initial talks that featured some hard-nosed rhetoric. Whether the meeting kick-starts new China-U.S. engagement or only serves to maintain — or even heighten — tensions remain to be seen.

The negativity of China-U.S. talks in Alaska risks a further downward spiral and an unhealthy new normal. But it’s an improvement over the Trump era. If the parties keep expectations low and maintain mutual respect, they should be able to replace their free-falling relationship with a more stable one.

In contrast to the hopes of moderate bipartisan voices, Blinken's China vision builds on the Trump-Pompeo unipolarity, at the expense of U.S. business and American people. The semiconductor debacle is a prelude to the future.

The U.S. secretary of state suggested subtly that democratization is still a U.S. strategic goal with regard to China, as well as securing American leadership in technology. All in all, the policies of the Biden administration differ little from those of Donald Trump.

Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's final days in power saw him apply pressure to Beijing on sensitive issues. It is likely that President Biden will expand and refine Donald Trump's China policy to include additional economic and humanitarian demands.

Australia is an outlier - its geography makes it a Pacific power, yet culturally, it is a part of the West. Former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is poised to give a nuanced perspective on the rise of China - but will global leaders follow suit?

When China’s foreign minister, Wang Yi, recently called for a reset of bilateral relations with the United States, a White House spokesperson replied that the US saw the relationship as one of strong competition that required a position of strength. It is clear that President Joe Biden’s administration is not simply reversing Trump’s policies.

China bashing has become a new form of political correctness in the United States. Despite Biden’s rhetoric, it's not clear that he can do away with Trump’s toxic legacy and rebuild the political and social basis of China-U.S. relations.

Confrontation can come from lack of understanding and a difference of emphasis. At bottom, the Chinese want to set up principles before trying to resolve specific problems, while the Americans are eager to address specifics before improving the relationship.

China is a tough country to comprehend – even for most Chinese. But much of what makes China enigmatic – its long history, vast and varied territory, huge and diverse population, complex politics, and massive, dynamic economy – also makes understanding the country important. For better or worse, what happens in China affects everyone.