NEW YORK, March 12 (Xinhua) -- It is vital to recalibrate U.S.-China relations, which have strained over the last four years, and beware of miscalculation and misperception, experts have said.
"The U.S.-China bilateral relationship is undoubtedly the most important relationship between two countries in the first half of the 21st century," Stephen Roach, a senior fellow at Yale University's Jackson Institute for Global Affairs, told Xinhua in a recent interview.
"If we were staying on the path that we had been on," he said, referring to the approach put in place by the former U.S. administration, "that would really be an unfortunate and very disturbing outcome for the two countries individually as well as for the world as a whole."
"We should be hopeful that 2021 could be a pivotal year in rethinking the way in which the two nations approach one another in the broadest senses of the world," said Roach, a longtime watcher on U.S.-China relations.
Noting the framework that was put in place by the previous U.S. administration "was a framework that was destined for conflict and failure," which "really accomplished nothing," he said a more workable approach is needed to bring bilateral ties back to the normal track.
The renowned scholar said it is better for President Joe Biden's administration to "start with a clean piece of paper" when framing policies toward China.
Experts have noted that it is crucial to spur the cooperative elements in this consequential bilateral relationship, as cooperation brings benefits, whilst confrontation will only cause harm.
Despite the differences between the United States and China, "there's much that we share in terms of the aspirations of our large populations in both nations," said Roach.
"If we focus on the aspirations of our respected people, we will be in a better place to resolve the conflict," he noted.
Kenneth Quinn, former U.S. ambassador to Cambodia, recently told Xinhua via email that "U.S.-Chinese cooperation is absolutely essential to our planet" dealing effectively with critical issues such as ensuring global food security, offsetting the effects of climate change, preventing future pandemics in human and animal diseases, and preserving global peace.
Both the United States and China have much to gain from cooperation, including "peace, expanded markets, accelerated technological progress, the avoidance of a new arms race, progress against COVID-19, a robust global jobs recovery, and a shared effort against climate change," Jeffrey Sachs, an economics professor at Columbia University and a senior United Nations advisor, said in an article published last month.
"Cooperation is not cowardice," he said in the piece titled "Why the U.S. Should Pursue Cooperation with China," adding the Biden administration's foreign policy with China "should begin with a search for cooperation rather than a presumption of conflict."
As China has pledged that it will take an active part in international cooperation on fighting COVID-19, continue to open up to the world, and promote sustainable development and a new type of international relations, "U.S. diplomacy would be wise to aim for engagement with China in these areas," said Sachs.
In their efforts to foster a constructive relationship, both sides should be mindful of miscalculations, according to experts.
While both the United States and China have an incentive to cooperate in a number of areas, miscalculation is possible, Joseph S. Nye Jr., a professor at Harvard University, said in an article published on Project Syndicate last week.
Miscalculation can lead to overreaction, said the renowned U.S. political scientist.
"Both sides must beware miscalculation. After all, more often than not, the greatest risk we face is our own capacity for error," he emphasized.
Although it may take time to fix the relationship, experts have voiced their hope for sound and healthy U.S.-China ties.
Roach said he remains "hopeful that we have an opportunity to do much better."
Quinn, who had a 32-year career as a U.S. diplomat, said he was encouraged that leaders from both countries spoke right before the Lunar New Year.
He said he hoped this development could provide a "welcome opportunity for the Year of the Ox to be one during which steady progress can be made in improving both the atmosphere and the substance of the bilateral relationship." Enditem
