Rebuilding Sino-US trust crucial for world

In recent years, rising tensions between China and the US have led to bleak predictions of bilateral relations and potentially dangerous global fragmentation. Hostility has escalated to the point where the possibility of not just a cold war but even a hot war is becoming threateningly real. With the passage of time, it is becoming increasingly difficult to envision how Beijing and Washington could steer their relationship toward the much-needed warming that would benefit the world.

Today, it is essential for everyone to think about how to foster non-confrontational and manageable competition between the two major countries guided by mutually agreed-on principles and norms. The key to making this shift is acknowledging that a less aggressive and more consensual approach is possible and aligns with their security and interests.

In their quest for global leadership, Beijing and Washington leverage different strategies. The United States' primary advantage lies in its military might and readiness to offer security guarantee to its allies. Consequently, the US has collective defense agreements with 56 countries across Asia, the Americas and Europe.