A large-scale U.S. decoupling from China cannot succeed because the global landscape of trade is complex and unable to respond to sudden shock. Relations are destined to get better, despite temporary setbacks.

China is focused on improving its national security and reducing long-term risks. Therefore, it’s likely to think about worst-case scenarios with respect to the U.S. and work to play a greater role in setting the agenda.

Decouple or not? That is the question in fraught China-U.S. trade tango.

In the ideal scenario of “co-opetition,” China and the US should find a new model for interaction: maintaining necessary, mutually beneficial co-operation while managing unavoidable but benign competition.

The Trump administration is using its blacklist as a weapon against China in the trade war, which will ultimately harm both China and the United States.

Signaling that it has less need for strategic cooperation with China on the world stage, the United States has rendered bilateral relations less resilient. And it’s hard to bridge the gap.

There’s a disconnect between the stance of America’s China policy elites and the views of the general public. Most people want cooperation, not major-power competition. The White House should face that reality.

The trust deficit between China and the U.S. is resulting in irrational policies and harm to both countries’ economies. A range of mechanisms to enhance dialogue and coordination have been set up over the past 40 years. Relaunching and revitalizing these mechanisms will be essential to establishing a new, mutually beneficial model for China-U.S. co-existence.

Dealmakers always know when to cut their losses. And so it is with the self-proclaimed greatest dealmaker of them all: US President Donald Trump. Having promised a Grand Deal with China, the 13th round of bilateral trade negotiations ended on October 11 with barely a whimper, yielding a watered-down partial agreement: the “phase one” accord.

Many economists say that a major global financial crisis before the 2020 presidential election is possible. If the decision helps back away from the cliff, it may well help Trump’s chances for re-election.