Commentary: 'Once opened, the door of China-U.S. relations cannot be shut again'

"I am convinced that once opened, the door of China-U.S. relations cannot be shut again. Once started, the cause of China-U.S. friendship cannot be derailed halfway. The tree of our peoples' friendship has grown tall and strong; and it can surely withstand the assault of any wind or storm," said Chinese President Xi Jinping in a speech at a welcome dinner hosted by friendly organizations in the U.S. on Nov. 15, 2023.

China and the U.S., as the world's two largest economies, account for more than a third of the global economy and nearly a quarter of the world's population. Bilateral trade represents about a fifth of the global total.

The establishment of a harmonious coexistence between China and the U.S. is vital for global peace and the future of humanity.

On Nov. 14, 2022, President Xi and U.S. President Joe Biden met in Bali, Indonesia. President Biden stressed that the U.S. does not seek a new Cold War with China, has no intention of trying to change China’s system, is not revitalizing its alliances to oppose China, does not support “Taiwan independence,” and is not seeking conflict with China.

However, over the past year, the U.S. fell short of taking necessary actions and even deviated from the consensus spirit, posing new challenges to the bilateral relationship.

In recent months, there has been an increase in bilateral interactions between China and the U.S. This includes visits by high-ranking U.S. officials and friendly personnel to China, indicating a positive trend toward stabilizing the relationship.

During the San Francisco summit meeting, the two presidents acknowledged their respective teams’ efforts to discuss the development of principles related to China-U.S. relations since their meeting in Bali. They stressed the importance of all countries treating each other with respect, finding ways to coexist peacefully, maintaining open lines of communication, preventing conflict, upholding the U.N. Charter, cooperating in areas of shared interest, and responsibly managing competitive aspects of the relationship. These discussions laid out a roadmap for steering China-U.S. relations back on a positive course.

Correctly recognizing the realities of each side and the call for greater people-to-people exchanges are crucial for advancing mutual respect and understanding between China and the U.S., said Dr. Kenneth Hammond from New Mexico State University in an interview with People's Daily Online.

There has been an apparent deeply flawed perception of China on the American side, failing to understand China’s great efforts to develop its economy and improve the lives of its people. China has a social and economic system which differs from that of the United States, and it has clearly been difficult for American politicians to comprehend this. A better, less biased appreciation that China has its own long history and culture would be a sounder basis for a healthy relationship which could yield benefits for both sides, said Hammond.

China and the U.S. have broad common interests in a wide range of areas. Annual bilateral trade between the two countries has reached $760 billion, and two-way investment has surpassed $260 billion. The countries have established 284 pairs of sister provinces/states and sister cities. Up to 300 scheduled flights operated between the two countries every week, and more than 5 million trips were made annually between them.

The summit meeting between the two heads of state produced deliverables in several areas. The two sides discussed dialogue and cooperation in various fields in the spirit of mutual respect, equality, and mutual benefits. They reached more than 20 deliverables in areas such as political affairs and foreign policy, people-to-people exchanges, global governance, and military and security. Some of these deliverables had already been achieved in the lead-up to the summit, and others were agreed upon through consultation during the summit.

Suisheng Zhao, professor and director of the Center for China-US Cooperation at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies, University of Denver, U.S., said the outcomes of the San Francisco summit meeting demonstrate the significance both countries place on their shared interests.

Both countries recognize the importance of stabilizing and enhancing China-U.S. relations during this crucial historical period. Zhao commended the progress achieved in reestablishing high-level military communication and institutionalized dialogue, as well as expanding cooperation in cultural exchanges, judicial law enforcement, and global governance.

During the summit meeting, President Xi called on China and the U.S. to adopt a new vision and jointly build five pillars for bilateral relations. The two countries should develop a right perception together, manage disagreements effectively, advance mutually beneficial cooperation, shoulder responsibilities as major countries, and promote people-to-people exchanges.

Through joint efforts in these five areas, five pillars can be established for steady growth in China-U.S. relations and foster the "San Francisco Vision" for their future.

Zhao emphasized that these joint efforts highlight the common interests and shared vision between China and the U.S. The aim is to find a suitable path for coexistence between the two countries and offer guidance for bringing bilateral relations back on the right track.

The five pillars set out a basic approach to U.S.-China relations which is based on mutual respect and the recognition that while the two countries have their differences, these should not be seen as antagonistic. Each side should act responsibly, and both should seek the best ways to cooperate on addressing issues of great importance to their peoples, expressed Hammond.

The recent meeting in San Francisco between the two presidents was a very important moment in the ongoing development of U.S.-China relations. Actions speak louder than words, so the true significance of the San Francisco meeting will be seen in the way American policies and practices develop in the months and years to come, Hammond noted.