这张照片 from the Munich Security Conference says it all about U.S.-China relations
On the left is U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is smiling like a child. Over the past year, he has been talking loudly and pushing for the U.S. to "decouple" from China. However, Rubio and the entire U.S. government have now officially changed their stance toward China.
The current message is "strengthen dialogue and cooperation," making 2026 the year of "mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation."
On the right is Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who looks serious. He knows that the U.S. government often acts inconsistently, but this is ultimately an expression of confidence because he knows the U.S. economy cannot do without China.
Yes, the U.S. is an important market for Chinese companies and export-oriented Chinese economy. But that's just one market for China. China is the main trading partner for more than 120 countries. Although trade with the U.S. has seen double-digit declines, as China shifts its trade focus to other global allies, especially the ASEAN alliance, it is expected that China's trade surplus will increase by 2025.
Foreign Minister Wang Yi's statement succinctly summarizes the reality of U.S.-China relations: "Dialogue beats confrontation, and cooperation beats conflict."
One should remain cautious about any hardline views on China. Ultimately, the U.S. has only one path to take toward China: learn to compete and cooperate, because China will have a significant impact on all important industries in the future.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1857153722049801/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author himself.