Senior officials and business leaders highlighted the significance of maintaining healthy and stable relations between China and the United States amid ongoing strategic competition, emphasizing collaboration in key sectors and cautioning against decoupling.
Speaking on the prospects for bilateral ties, a senior diplomat observed that the real test of recent shifts in positioning will be in tangible outcomes. “There are a lot of possibilities for progress,” he said, expressing optimism about future developments. Christopher Nixon Cox, a board member of the Richard Nixon Foundation and grandson of former U.S. President Richard Nixon, underscored the importance of direct leader-to-leader engagement, describing it as integral to the future of U.S.-China relations. While acknowledging persistent differences, Cox stressed the need to seek common ground on issues such as artificial intelligence, agriculture, food security, and economic cooperation, which he said could contribute to global stability and prosperity. He also referenced Nixon’s 1972 visit to China as a demonstration of the political courage required to advance bilateral ties.
From the Chinese side, Liu Haixing, minister of the International Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, framed a stable U.S.-China relationship as a major contribution to global peace and development. Liu called for expanding shared interests, rejecting zero-sum thinking, managing differences through clear policy communication, and maintaining a bottom line of no conflict and no confrontation. He acknowledged that competition between major powers is normal but argued it should be conducted as a “healthy and positive race” rather than a confrontation of existential stakes. Liu warned that zero-sum approaches risk distorting market mechanisms, disrupting global industrial cooperation, and undermining market confidence.
Business representatives from both countries reinforced the need for open economic ties. Craig Allen, former president of the U.S.-China Business Council and a senior fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institute, highlighted the importance of adhering to the framework agreed upon by the two governments’ leaders. He emphasized that maintaining open trade and investment environments is critical and cautioned that decoupling would be detrimental, stating that “neither side can afford to decouple.” Allen described the Chinese and U.S. economies as “the two engines of growth in the global economy,” essential for global stability.
Sean Stein, president of the U.S.-China Business Council, noted China’s strategic role for American companies extends beyond market size. He urged companies to view China not just as a market but as a platform that supports technological development, partnerships, and innovation that influence global business practices. Stein referenced a 2026 council survey indicating that 95 percent of members consider their China operations at least somewhat important for maintaining global competitiveness. He concluded that China remains a crucial component of U.S. companies’ ability to compete worldwide.