Leading foreign policy experts from China and the United States are calling for concrete action to build a constructive and stable bilateral relationship, as both sides look to turn principles into real results.
Their call comes as Chinese President Xi Jinping is on a three-day state visit to the United States at the invitation of President Donald Trump. The trip follows Trump's state visit to China in May, the first by a U.S. president in nearly nine years.
In a recent interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN), Da Wei, director of the Center for International Security and Strategy at Tsinghua University, noted that the diplomatic terminology used to described relations between the two countries has shifted.
"I think, at least in the governmental narrative, this '(constructive) strategic stability,' this new term is used to replace the old term 'strategic competition.' We have a new term and both sides agree with this new term, 'strategic stability,' and both sides are using this new term. So after May, at least from the American side, on the governmental level, I have not heard talk about 'strategic competition.' I think it's gone from the official narrative in the U.S. I think that's a good thing. But this term has gone, competition is still there. So President Xi put it very clearly in his remarks at the May summit that we need a manageable competition," he said.
Echoing the need for practical progress, Stephen A. Orlins, president of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations, told CGTN that agreements in principle must be implemented by government departments on both sides.
"I think that a constructive U.S.-China relationship can really benefit the American people and the Chinese people. So what we need to see is agreement in principle from the two leaders, but then see them be implemented by the Department of Commerce, by the Secretary of the Treasury," Orlins said.
Orlins also pointed to specific trade and investment proposals, urging that they be put into practice.
"We heard discussions in the previous meetings about a board of trade and a board of investment agreement. Okay, that's a great idea, but let's do it. President Trump has talked about possibly having Chinese electric vehicles manufactured in the United States. That's a great idea, but we need to do it. So hopefully this summit is going to allow for agreement in principle and then we'll see the cabinet level, so the 'buzhang' (minister) level implement it," Orlins said.
China, U.S. experts call for concrete action to stabilize ties
