Now that the headlines of the Alaska talks have gone, what follows next for the two nations that steer global humanity? What is emerging is a part competitive, part cooperative relationship for the US and China — and a different approach to crafting their own destinies, while making "big power" friends.

The first face-to-face talks between Chinese and U.S. officials after President Biden's inauguration gives rise to this question: what's next? An Gang, research fellow at Tsinghua University's Center for International Strategy and Security takes a deep dive at the primary issues shaping the future relationship — and predicts the decoupling in science and technology, and a Cold War-style rhetoric, will prove problematic.

Caspar Lant is a recent physics graduate from New York University, whose research interests include electron spectroscopy and improving air quality in global urban centers, a project he pursues at the NYU Shanghai Campus. He was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to China, but changed plans after the prestigious exchange program was canceled by the Trump administration.

This special explainer video is written and narrated for China-US Focus by Ambassador He Yafei, former Vice Foreign Minister of the People’s Republic of China. Taking a deep dive into the global challenges ahead of us, Ambassador He crafts his thoughts around geopolitics, the tech revolution, and the combination of traditional and non-traditional security threats. But he also provides solutions that will help us back away from the tipping point, by bringing humanity closer together through addressing the income and social gaps that divide us. Ambassador He also served as China’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva.

Climate change may be the biggest threat to our survival, but it is also the major shared interest. China’s longtime climate negotiator Xie Zhenhua has been exchanging ideas with global actors including John Kerry and Ban Ki-moon.

In a wide-ranging appeal, former US Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez says the US and China are not strategic rivals, but essential partners to global prosperity. He adds that commerce and investment should be allowed to flourish separate to politics and national security.

President Biden brings multilateralism to his leadership — and will need to work with China on climate change, global health and denuclearization. But he can’t be seen to be “soft” on the next largest economy after its own.

The huge loss of lives in the current pandemic is an urgent reminder that countries need to take coordinated action in meeting global challenges, says He Yafei, China’s former Vice Foreign Minister.