China and the United States, two of the world's biggest nations and economies, share many common interests despite having differences. But for bilateral ties to prosper, decision-makers in the two countries have to focus their energy on seeking common ground, rather than acting recklessly in pursuit of selfish gains.
Given the global significance of China-U.S. ties, the ongoing seventh China-U.S. Strategic and Economic Dialogue (S&ED) in Washington has attracted intensive attention worldwide.
While many media headlines are about hotspot issues such as cyber security and the South China Sea, China-U.S. ties are clearly more complex and multi-faceted, and even in areas where they do not see eye to eye, there are ways to reduce their frictions.
In the matter of cyber security, a recurrent problem is that some U.S. politicians are always quick to blame China for every alleged breach that may harm the interests of the United States, the undisputed No. 1 giant in the cyber world.
The habitual finger-pointing game, always lacking concrete evidence, has eroded strategic trust between China and the United States, one of the world's most important bilateral relationships.
To reverse the trend, the U.S. side first has to stop unwarranted accusations against China. In the long run, China and the United States should work jointly to establish norms and enforcement mechanisms to guide their use of cyber space, so that both sides can better navigate the still uncharted domain.
Regarding the South China Sea, the primary U.S. concern is navigation freedom there, at least according to U.S. official statements.
As everyone knows, territorial disputes in the South China Sea have never impeded the free passage of vessels, let alone key shipping lanes there. And China, as a major trading nation in the region, has more reasons than any other to maintain navigation freedom on the South China Sea.
The United States, which is not a claimant to the South China Sea disputes, should stop its lopsided approach of exerting pressure on China while pampering other claimants like Vietnam and the Philippines.
But that does not mean Beijing will not welcome a constructive role by Washington in Asia, since Chinese President Xi Jinping made it clear that the Asia-Pacific is vast enough to accommodate both countries.
A smooth development of China-U.S. ties is a boon not only for the two countries, but for the whole world, and any serious setback in their relations will be a cause for worldwide concern.
It is hoped that Washington is on the same page with Beijing in building a new type of relationship between major countries which features win-win cooperation and mutual respect, instead of confrontation and zero-sum games.
