Beginning in early 2012, China and the United States had been making vigorous efforts to explore theories, strategies, and policies on the establishment of a new pattern of relations between major powers, with a consensus finally reached at the Xi-Obama meetings at the Annenberg Estate, California in June 2013.

From a Chinese scholar’s perspective, I think a new model of major power relations concerns traditional major powers, emerging powers, and regional powers. But in the current situation, the focus should be on advancing a new model of relationship between China and the United States.

Pushing forward the new type of China-U.S. relations requires, first and foremost, the two sides to transcend the so called Thucydides's trap, i.e. the inevitable war between an established power and an emerging power. Despite skepticisms in both countries, the mainstream view is that as global powers, China and the United States should and can co-exist and make their due contribution to the world’s peace, development, and win-win cooperation.

The strategic thinking on a new model of China-U.S. relations approaches the bilateral relationship from a long-term and comprehensive perspective.

At the global level, Beijing and Washington should support and consult with each other on major international affairs. In the current situation, the two sides should strengthen communication and consultation on global economic governance, non-traditional security issues, and new public domains, and make joint efforts in building relevant institutions and mechanisms.

At the regional level, Beijing and Washington should keep regular contact and be mutually accommodating. China-U.S. regional interactions mainly occur in the Asia-Pacific, a region home to stability and security issues such as the North Korean nuclear crisis as well as issues concerning the formulation of regional economic and security mechanisms. We agree on the philosophical idea that the Asia-Pacific is constantly in the dynamics shifting between balance and imbalance. Yet in the context of a “rebalancing” strategy, we hope that the United States can enhance dialogue and communication with China on such a major strategic decision. Only by so doing can the two sides achieve mutual respect and mutual accommodating.

At the bilateral level, Beijing and Washington should make joint efforts in gaining positive energy, that is, to quote a Chinese idiom, to “dispel the negative and reinforce the positive”. The negative energy declines as the positive energy rises. The recent new thinking and progress in China-U.S. military and cybersecurity cooperation represent the incremental positive energy in the bilateral relations.

The building of a new type of major power relations brings about historic opportunities for respective and common development for China and the United States. Historic opportunities are usually fleeting, requiring the two sides to strengthen opportunity management. First, at the critical stage when this new model of relations are being translated from idea to reality, Beijing and Washington should keep their overall interest and ultimate goal in mind while making down-to-earth efforts. To keep the overall interest and ultimate goal in mind requires us to well formulate a top-down design and outline a roadmap from a strategic high and with a long-term vision. To make down-to-earth efforts requires us to make substantial progress in our common objectives and unsettled disputes. Second, seeking opportunities in crises. The path towards a new model of Sino-U.S. relations will be full of twists and turns. This requires the two to stand ready for difficulties and challenges, and turn crises into opportunities. The experience accumulated on the North Korean nuclear crisis should be an example and a starting point for future crisis management between Beijing and Washington. Third, China and the U.S. should let other countries share historic opportunities. A new pattern of China-U.S. relationship does not mean a world co-governed by two great powers. Its objective is a China-U.S. joint undertaking to serve the interests of mankind. Therefore, China and the United States should enhance their consultation with other major powers and small and medium-sized countries, and accommodate and guarantee their concerns and interests with relevant institutions and norms, thus making the new model of Sino-U.S. relations a blessing for the international community.
        

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