Source: CCTV
Speaking to CCTV, Carnegie’s Douglas Paal said that mutual trust between China and the United States needs to be accomplished in a narrow, step-by-step fashion that builds a climate of trust over decades. This is an important period of opportunity for Asia, Paal said. After multiple political transitions, it is time for leaders to look to the future. Most effective diplomacy and governance is done without making dramatic headlines, Paal continued. Shared challenges like climate change and population dynamics will provide opportunities for the U.S. and China to work together.
The nature of U.S.-China relations will also be determined by the countries’ economic development, Paal added. Urbanization has the potential to propel the Chinese economy and the global economy forward, he said, while the United States faces an innovation challenge. When the American economy and American people are self-confident, they will look for friends instead of enemies abroad, Paal concluded.