In 2013, the Sino-US relations ended with concern over strategic mistrust. In 2014, bilateral relations were characterized by a sense of optimism. While bilateral trust may endure through the Obama era, challenges will ensue thereafter.

The ambitious U.S-China climate proposal created new emissions standards for U.S. domestic power plants, which will reshape the power sector on a state-by-state basis. The 30% CO2 reduction target is significant and won’t come without domestic political opposition, despite the EU’s even more ambitious targets.

The most vulnerable part in Sino-US relations is military relations. The recent MOU between the two militaries is a great effort from both sides to “develop a new model of military-to-military relations”.

Chen Yonglong explains the six “normal” states of interaction that will define the China-U.S. relationship: in redefining shared global power; in how leaders conduct dialogue; in economics; in strategic contention of hegemony and ideology; in their efforts to control dispute; and finally in their cycles of balance and rebalance.

What the Xi-Obama November agreements suggest is that the two leaders are able to communicate effectively on complex problems, negotiate in good faith, and reach mature understandings that serve the interests of both countries. Now, the question is, can that pattern be maintained in 2015 and beyond?

Wu Jianmin relays his concluding remarks from the Second China-U.S. Policy Forum in Beijing on December 13th – 15th, reiterating the history of China’s opening up to the West, and more recent phases of China-U.S. cooperation. Wu believes the U.S. and China can identify convergent interests, and make the foundation of the China-U.S. relationship stronger and stronger.

Below is the excerpts of the theme speech on China-US relationship by Executive Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui at China-United States Exchange Foundation A

Xi-Obama meetings following the APEC summit helped spur new topics and commitments to bilateral cooperation, most notably with the creation of an impactful new climate treaty. Yu Xiang discusses new international issues – responding to Ebola, IS, and a military reporting mechanism – for extending Sino-U.S. cooperation.

When evaluating the meeting between Presidents Xi and Obama, the two countries should transcend the mentality of a zero-sum game, and place their main focus on cooperation.

Zhang Junshe describes how the establishment of mutual trust mechanisms between China and the U.S.– through military leader exchanges and joint military exercises – can help both sides to know each other’s strategic intentions and reduce the possibilities of misunderstanding and misjudgment and thus lower the risks of military friction.