The 2020 U.S. election, with a complex and controversial outcome, has seen the dust settle after months of farce and chaos with Joe Biden sworn in as the 46th U.S. president on January 20. However, party polarization still continues in the U.S. and more complicated confrontations between the Democrats and Republicans are anticipated in the future.

What will be the future of China-U.S. relations?

Historic choice

China and the U.S. both have their distinctive histories, cultures and values. They have different national systems and social governance and foreign relations policies.

In the past, they learned to cooperate after a period of confrontation.

After the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, the U.S. followed a foreign policy with anti-communism and anti-socialism as its core concept, and carried out a total containment policy of political non-recognition, economic blockade and military encirclement against China. The two countries were in a state of bitter rivalry.

After the Korean War broke out in June 1950, its flames reached China's border. The border regions in northeast China were repeatedly bombed by U.S. planes. At the request of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the Chinese People's Volunteer Army entered the Korean Peninsula in October 1950 to aid the DPRK in the three-year fight until a truce was reached in 1953.

The U.S. also obstructed the restoration of China's lawful seat in the United Nations and was responsible for the confrontation between the two nations at that time.

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, strategic changes occurred in Asia and the rest of the world. Chairman Mao Zedong and Premier Zhou Enlai took the initiative to adjust China's policy toward the West.

Realizing China's important role in international relations, then U.S. President Richard Nixon visited China in 1972 and the Shanghai Communique was issued, a key diplomatic document guiding the normalization of bilateral ties.

Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping and then U.S. President Jimmy Carter jointly promoted dialogues and negotiations leading to the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1979.

In 2013, President Xi Jinping proposed the concept of building a new model of major-country relationship between the two countries featuring non-conflict, non-confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation. It served the common interests of both countries and conformed to the trend of the times.

By 2015, there were full-fledged mechanisms for political dialogue and consultation between the two, including the China-U.S. Strategic and Economic Dialogue and China-U.S. Political Party Leaders Dialogue.

In 2016, bilateral trade exceeded $500 billion with growing mutual investment and scientific and technological cooperation. The peoples of the two countries enjoyed the benefits and the international community too gained from the steady growth of China-U.S. relations.

Disappointing obstacles

But since 2017, the far right forces in the U.S., led by Donald Trump, began to try to destroy the multilateral mechanisms and the international order to divert attention from the problems at home.

Regarding China as a major rival, they initiated friction in the economy, trade, science and technology, people-to-people exchanges and intellectual property rights. The U.S. leveled unfounded accusations against China over Taiwan, the South China Sea, human rights and religious freedom. It began to interfere in issues related to the Chinese regions of Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong. Bilateral relations plummeted to their lowest level since the establishment of diplomatic ties.

However, Democrat Biden's presidential win offers the U.S. an opportunity to heal its badly polarized society, adjust foreign relations, and reshape its image as a responsible major country. An increasing number of people are calling for major joint efforts to steer China-U.S. relations back to the normal track.

But we should not be naïve in expecting an immediate change in the new administration's China policy. When it comes to containing China's rise and maintaining the hegemonic position of the United States, the two presidents and the two political parties think alike.

Before leaving office, Trump further undermined China-U.S. relations by adopting a series of last-minute destructive actions focused on Taiwan, seeking to leave a legacy of severed ties.

On his part, Biden, due to the need to win votes to ensure future Democrat victories, can never really repudiate many of Trump's policies. His administration will not be able to make major changes in the short term and thaw the bilateral ties and he has talked candidly about that.

China's stance

China doesn't have any illusion about the new administration's China policy but is always open to dialogue and communication.

It will seek to better bilateral ties while being fully aware of the long-standing multi-faceted thorny issues between the two vastly different nations.

In his congratulatory message to Biden on his victory, Chinese President Xi said he hopes the two countries will uphold the spirit of non-conflict, non-confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation, focus on cooperation, manage differences, and advance a healthy and stable development of ties.

The novel coronavirus disease may continue to pose a daunting challenge in 2021. The world economy remains sluggish and global governance needs to be strengthened. As a responsible major country, China should take the lead to demonstrate flexibility in economic and trade relations, cultural and people-to-people exchanges, regional affairs and global governance. It looks to working with the new U.S. administration toward mutually constructive and inclusive relations.

The future of China-U.S. relations can be redefined. As long as we respect each other and meet each other halfway, a stable and cooperative China-U.S. relationship amid competition might become the new normal. 

The author is former vice minister of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China

(Print Edition Title:  A New Normal in China-U.S. Ties) 

Copyedited by Sudeshna Sarkar

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