WHAT IF CHINA AND THE US ACTUALLY GOT ALONG?
Following the tip of the struggle of resistance towards Japanese aggression in 1945, Chiang Kai-shek, head of the KMT-led nationalist authorities, invited Mao, head of the Communist forces, to the wartime capital of Chongqing to debate China’s future and the connection between the 2 rival events.
Beneath the auspices of the US and inspired by the then Soviet Union, Mao flew to Chongqing for 43 days of talks, often called the Chongqing Negotiations, which led to a peace pact often called the Double Tenth Settlement. Though the 2 long-time enemies didn’t honour the settlement and the civil struggle resumed, ending in Communist victory and the founding of the Folks’s Republic in 1949, Mao conveyed a picture of an affordable man searching for peace within the eyes of the worldwide group.
Now, the US-China relationship is at a vital crossroads, with each nations confronting one another on points starting from commerce and know-how to house, Taiwan, Hong Kong and human rights. Amid mounting considerations that the bilateral relationship will deteriorate additional, Xi’s acceptance of Trump’s inauguration invitation presents a chance that shouldn’t be missed. As China’s high chief has repeatedly stated, each nations stand to realize from cooperation and lose from confrontation.
Curiously, Trump informed reporters on Dec 17 that Beijing and Washington might work collectively to “remedy all the issues of the world”. Given Trump’s impulsive and unpredictable nature, it’s arduous to know if he means what he says.
Nonetheless, his sweeping assertion crystallises essentially the most vital challenge to make sure world peace: Each Beijing and Washington ought to revisit a G2 strategy to their relationship, through which they’ll develop a aggressive and cooperative relationship to handle bilateral issues and sort out international challenges.
Following his latest journey to China, Thomas Friedman, a columnist with the New York Instances, wrote that Beijing and Washington ought to workforce as much as sort out a a lot larger frequent enemy – dysfunction. I couldn’t agree extra.
Friedman instructed that Trump ought to discover a “Nixon goes to China” transfer to hunt the much-needed rapprochement between the 2 nations for the sake of a secure twenty first century.
Drawing from historical past and given the excessive stakes, China’s management ought to severely contemplate a transfer of “Xi goes to Washington”, to realize the higher hand.
Wang Xiangwei is a former Editor-In-Chief of South China Morning Submit. He now teaches journalism at Hong Kong Baptist College.
