Stabilizing China-US relations is also in the interests of the US

Global Times

Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, who is also Chinese lead person for China-US economic and trade affairs, held a video call Friday with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on bilateral important economic issues. The two sides exchanged in-depth views on the implementation of consensus reached by the two heads of state during their phone talks, and on important issues between China and the US in the economic field.

This is another recent interaction between China and the US in the economic and trade field. Both sides agree on the importance of bilateral economic and trade relations.

Earlier, Member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi had a phone call with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio upon request. He also held discussions with people from various sectors in the US while chairing the United Nations Security Council high-level meeting in New York. Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao sent a letter to the newly appointed US Secretary of Commerce, Howard Lutnick. Exchanges between China and the US are taking place at the levels of diplomacy, economy and trade, business circles and strategic circles.

It has been more than a month since the new US administration took office, and international public opinion generally believes that China-US relations have had a relatively mild and cautious start. It should be said that the gradual development of China-US communication at all levels continues this momentum.

However, recently, the US State Department updated the fact sheet on US relations with Taiwan island by removing the wording that the US “does not support ‘Taiwan independence’.” It also revised its China fact sheet, which is now an expanded section on economic ties emphasizing the US-China trade deficit and US companies’ alleged concerns about China.

Such moves have not only raised doubts about the backsliding of the US’ position on the Taiwan question, but has also led to global concerns that it may aggravate global trade tensions.

From various complex signals, it is not difficult to discern the ambivalence in Washington about Beijing and about China-US relations. On one hand, the US continues its containment, suppression against China, and promotes the old trick of gaming against China by exaggerating the “China threat” rhetoric. On the other hand, the relevant information just proves the importance of stable China-US economic and trade relations to the US.

The New York Times stated that “Trump Eyes a Bigger, Better Trade Deal With China,” which shows that Washington is in need of benefiting from stable China-US economic and trade relations, and this concern trumps most other issues. This entanglement reflects the US’ strategic anxiety of “wanting to suppress China without harming itself.”

It is worth emphasizing that no matter what complex considerations Washington may have about China, its decisions cannot be divorced from the basic logic of state-to-state relations, and confrontation with China is not a good choice. Data shows that during the trade war launched by the US in 2018, over 90 percent of the costs from US tariffs on China were borne by American businesses and consumers. Time magazine reported that the recent tariff increases on China will directly raise costs for American households in 2025. New York Times columnist Paul Krugman wrote that “American consumers bore the great bulk of the burden” and “consumers would pay the tariffs after all.” The tariff war has not brought tangible benefits to the US, a fact widely recognized within the country.

The trade war and tariff war have no winners – this is not just a piece of advice from China to the US, but an undeniable fact. China’s vast market provides abundant opportunities for American businesses, while the US’ advanced technology and management expertise also provide references and aids to China’s industrial upgrading and economic growth. According to the latest report from the American Chamber of Commerce in China, 53 percent of US companies operating in China plan to increase their investment in 2025.

The so-called “political correctness” that generalizes economic and trade issues into security and ideological matters is actually being deconstructed by market laws and business rationality. The China-US relationship is an organic ecosystem, and any attempt to crudely reconstruct it will have an overall impact. A stable China-US relationship is in the common interest of both nations.

The notion, entertained by some in Washington, that the US can achieve a sweeping victory without any cost does not align with reality.

As long as the US can correct its perception of China and work together with China on the basis of broad common interests, it is entirely reasonable to expect that China-US relations will stabilize and improve. Beyond trade and economics, there remains room for cooperation in areas such as technology and cultural exchanges, military communication and joint crackdown on transnational crimes. Both countries can also work together to advance artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and other technologies for the benefit of humanity, while helping more nations in the Global South to unlock their growth potential.

At the same time, maintaining overall stability in China-US relations is crucial for global stability. The international community expects cooperation, not confrontation, between the two nations. Even among US allies, most countries do not wish to be forced to take sides between China and the US.

For some time now, China has made its principled stance on developing China-US relations abundantly clear on multiple occasions. We are ready to build a stable, healthy, and sustainable bilateral relationship with the US based on the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation.

We hope Washington will make the right choice and meet China halfway, taking concrete actions to inject new vitality into China-US economic and trade relations while contributing to global stability. This is not only a call from reality, but also the right path toward the future.