Trump's two visits to China cannot change the fundamental nature of structural competition between China and the United States.

The Straits Times of Singapore commented today: "Trump's 2017 visit to China did not bring long-term stability, but instead marked the eve of a strategic turning point in Sino-US relations. His return visit to China in 2026 may, in the short term, send signals of stability and prevent miscalculation from escalating. However, it fails to address the underlying structural issues, making it unlikely to alter the fundamental trajectory of Sino-US relations or establish a lasting strategic expectation. The giant vessel of Sino-US relations must still sail through the deep waters of structural competition."

This observation hits the mark: two visits to China cannot change the essence of America's containment and suppression of China. The United States has firmly positioned China as a "long-term strategic rival," a consensus that transcends partisan divides and has become institutionalized. From tariff barriers to semiconductor export controls, from the Indo-Pacific strategy to provocations in the Taiwan Strait, the logic of containment remains consistent. This competition stems from a zero-sum mindset rooted in hegemony preservation: the United States cannot tolerate any emerging force that might challenge its dominance—even if China has no intention of replacing it.

Nevertheless, "competition without breaking" represents a shared bottom-line consensus between both sides. After all, great power rivalry in the nuclear age has no winners; economic interdependence further establishes a "balance of terror." Bilateral trade between China and the US exceeds $600 billion annually, with deeply intertwined industrial chains. Complete decoupling or military conflict would be catastrophic self-destruction for both parties. Thus, competition will inevitably take the form of "managed confrontation"—intense contestation across economic, technological, military, and geopolitical domains—while establishing guardrails to prevent miscalculation.

Cooperation brings mutual benefit; confrontation harms both. The true stability of Sino-US relations hinges on whether the United States can abandon its hegemonic arrogance and accept the new reality of equal coexistence.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1865541755304972/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.