On 14th July, the Chinese People’s Association for Peace and Disarmament, the American Friends Service Committee and the United States Institute of Peace, cohosted the first online dialogue on China-US relations. More than 20 scholars and other participants from various institutes and the 3 co-hosts attended the dialogue. The US scholars mainly from the CSIS, CFR, AEI and Georgetown University, and the Chinese scholars from China Foreign Affairs University, Fudan University, Nanjing University and Charhar Institute. The deputy secretary general of the CPAPD, Mr. Taotao participated the dialogue and contributed in speeches. Scholars and participants attended exchanged views and ideas toward the current China-US relations in a candid and lively manner, producing substantial results.

Participants argued that the world is undergoing unprecedented changes, and the COVID-19 is a historical event once in a century. When the Great Pandemic coincides with the Great Changes, the international order will accelerate the pace of profound and complex changes. China and the US are two major countries of global importance, and the China-US relations have become the key elements to influence the progress of the future world landscape. 

Participants contended that the China-US relations are experiencing an important historical moment and standing at a critical crossroads. The China-US relations are with many challenges at the moment. As China and the US are important pillars to the current international system, a sound China-US relationship is also conducive to world peace and prosperity. It is a pity if the China-US relations plunge into a situation of increasing confrontation, escalating conflicts and consuming each other. It is the shared hope that the China-US relations can return to the track of cooperation as soon as possible.

Participants pointed out that both China and the US benefit from cooperation and suffer from confrontation. Cooperation is the only solution for both sides. As China is the largest developing country, the US the largest developed country, and both represent two major economies in the world, China and the US have so much to play in jointly addressing global challenges. Given the solid social foundation for China-US friendship, it is important for both countries to share views and increase mutual understanding when the bilateral relations are at a difficult time.

Participants emphasized that the trend of China-US relations is crucial. After some time of contests and frictions, China and the US may find new path for contacts and exchanges. A new relationship of “coopetition” may be formed, where cooperation remains, while contradictions and disputes are controlled. It is important for both China and the US to face problems in a direct way, seek innovation and changes and explore possible establishment of a functional partnership. It may also be useful if China and the US have more dialogues on global and regional issues, maintaining pragmatic bilateral cooperation in order to achieve the “power-sharing” rather than the “power-shifting” pattern between the two countries.

Participants thought that civil institutions from China and the US may work positively together, giving full play to scholars and experts as policy source and think tanks. It may be easier for both sides to start from the common interests of China and the US, so as to promote the restructuring of a new strategic architecture for bilateral relations. It will bring stability and positive energy to the world full of uncertainty, if both sides can build a China-US relationship based on coordination, cooperation and stability.

Participants gave positive comments on the importance of increasing dialogues between China and US scholars, contending this online dialogue among scholars come just in time. In the backdrop where more challenges to the China-US relations will emerge, it is helpful to conduct dialogues and exchanges among scholars. This kind of dialogues will make good use of the civil institutions, mobilize more positive resources, expand common ground of bilateral cooperation and promote stable development of China-US relations. By inviting more scholars from China, US and other countries to join the dialogue, it will enable the in-depth analysis on problems and challenges in the China-US relations, and the exploration of opportunities on various levels of global, multi-lateral and bilateral cooperation. It is the shared hope among participants that the CPAPD, the AFSC and the USIP will continue to convene series of such online dialogues, which will contribute to the stable development of the China-US relations.