IF CHINA AND THE US REALLY WANTED TO COMBINE?
Following the end of the war of resistance against Japanese aggression in 1945, Chiang Kai-shek, mind of the KMT-led republican government, invited Mao, mind of the Marxist forces, to the military funds of Chongqing to explore China’s future and the relationship between the two rival parties.
Mao traveled to Chongqing for 43 days of discussions, known as the Chongqing Agreements, under the supervision of the US and encouraged by the next Soviet Union, which led to a peace agreement known as the Double Tenth Agreement. Mao’s image of a sensible man seeking peace was captured in the eyes of the international community as a result of the two long-standing opponents ‘ failure to honor the contract and the civil war that ended with the success of the Communists and the establishment of the People’s Republic in 1949.
Today, the US-China connection is at a critical juncture, with both nations confronting each other on issues ranging from industry and technologies to place, Taiwan, Hong Kong and human rights. Xi’s acceptance of Trump’s invitation presents an opportunity that should not be missed in light of growing concerns that the bilateral relationship will further deteriorate. As China’s top leader has repeatedly said, both countries stand to gain from cooperation and lose from confrontation.
Interesting is how Trump asserted to reporters on December 17 that Beijing and Washington could” solve all of the problems of the world” together. Given Trump’s impulsive and unpredictable nature, it is hard to know if he means what he says.
However, his sweeping statement focuses on the most important factor to ensure global peace: Beijing and Washington should reevaluate a G2 relationship model, which will allow them to create a competitive and cooperative relationship to address bilateral issues and address global issues.
In response to his recent trip to China, Thomas Friedman, a columnist for the New York Times, suggested that Beijing and Washington should work together to combat a much bigger issue: disorder. I could not agree more.
Friedman suggested that Trump should look into a” Nixon goes to China” strategy in order to achieve the desperately needed rapprochement between the two nations for a stable 21st century.
Drawing from history and given the high stakes, China’s leadership should seriously consider a move of” Xi goes to Washington”, to gain the upper hand.
Wang Xiangwei is a former Editor-In-Chief of South China Morning Post. He is currently a journalist at Hong Kong Baptist University.