U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry visited Beiqi Foton Motors a state-owned vehicle production company, in Beijing last weekend. He wanted to send a signal that the issue of climate change is a top priority task for both China and the U.S.

Beiqi Foton and Cummins, an American engine manufacturer, has set up a 50-50 joint venture to produce automobile engines using clean fuel. Kerry spoke highly of the joint venture and referred to it as a model of mutually beneficial cooperation between China and the U.S. and a positive result of the two countries' joint efforts to tackle climate change.

This winter, America has been hit by the coldest weather in 20 years, while China has suffered from severe air pollution. The issue of climate change is worldwide. During Kerry's visit to China, the two sides issued a joint statement on climate change, emphasizing their determination to make persistent efforts to tackle the prroblem. The U.S. will consider exporting liquefied natural gas to China to replace coal, thus improving China's energy structure, while China will make greater efforts to exploit clean energy.

Business plays the crucial role in the cooperation between China and the U.S. in the fields of energy and environment. In 2013, Tesla, an American supercharged electric sports car, entered the Chinese market, while BYD's electric buses with their long battery life drive the streets of L.A. and New York. The more such two-way exchanges there are, the more complementary advantages both sides will achieve.

However, such cooperation does not necessarily mean a perfectly smooth relationship between China and the U.S. There is always a likelihood that disputes and competitions will cause a disruption at some point. But peaceful coexistence has to be the bottom line objective for both sides. In fact, common interests between China and the U.S. have reached an unprecedented level in terms of both depth and breadth in the 35 years since the two countries established diplomatic relations. Win-win cooperation is the only sensible choice for both sides.

All in all, both sides should put aside geopolitical suspicions, disputes and zero-sum thinking and concentrate on cooperation on significant issues.

The article is edited and translated from《中美关系:多走双行道 聚焦大问题》, source: People's Daily Overseas Edition, author: Si Chu.