The United States and China have opened communication channels in many touchy areas. But they have yet to do so in the field of technology competition, which has risen to a level of sensitivity on par with Taiwan and the South China Sea. It is urgent for the two nations to create such a mechanism now.

Charlene Barshefsky, a former top U.S. official, discusses in the interview with China-US Focus the lengthy negotiation process for China's entry into the WTO and its lasting impacts on China's economy, global integration, and U.S.-China relations, despite current challenges in trade norms and geopolitical shifts. She also emphasizes the significance of international businesses having a presence in China and the considerations they need to evaluate when determining whether to expand to the Chinese market.

East Asia is increasingly aligning with the U.S. to curb China's semiconductor ambitions, driven by the US's indispensable role in chip design and concerns about China's credibility as a business partner, giving the U.S. an advantage in the ongoing tech competition with China.

All eyes are on the upcoming leaders’ meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), to be held in San Francisco from November 11-17. And with good reason: there is a distinct possibility that US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping will meet on the sidelines of this pan-regional gathering, exactly one year after their last summit in Bali on the eve of the annual G20 summit.

China’s Foreign Minister paid an official two-day visit to Washington last week, laying the groundwork for an anticipated meeting between Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping in November. The two sides had a “constructive” and detailed set of discussions on specific issues, but the most important outcome may be that a normal diplomatic interaction took place after a long hiatus and substantial acrimony in the bilateral relationship.

More than ever, China and the United States need to meet each other halfway. They need to find new cooperation points in a spirit of mutual benefit. Emerging from the deep freeze presents both an important test and a great opportunity.

In the wake of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s visit to the U.S., windows of opportunity are opening. The constructive attitude on both sides is paying off as common ground is sought to anchor bilateral ties. This is a positive sign for the future.

The debate over the difference between tactics and strategy is as rich as it is enduring. In his seminal 1996 article in the Harvard Business Review, Harvard’s Michael Porter tackled this issue head on. While his focus was business, his arguments can be applied much more broadly – including to today’s Sino-American rivalry.

China has no motive to engage in ideological competition or confrontation with the United States. Its defense of its own ideological foundation is a natural response to U.S. rhetoric. The so-called ideological competition is nothing but an American fabrication.

Any easing of China-U.S. relations will have twists and turns, and material improvement is unlikely to come soon. But both sides can learn from America’s Cold War standoff with the USSR, when mechanisms were built that avoided war. That process can be followed again.