A trail through the mountain

How, then, to build on the path of dialogue?

Obviously it is necessary the two sides first build on the foundation, given it is a road of bilateral relations. It means they shall have to try to maximize the benefit in areas where the two sides share consensus or agreements while respecting the differences in each other's conditions and policies and minimizing the effect of the noise those differences create.

It is acknowledged that China and the United States share interests in world peace and development. Highly complementary in terms of economy, they are also natural partners instead of opponents in a zero-sum game.

The road should also be widened going ahead to cover civil aviation, express railways, infrastructure construction and space exploration, in addition to fields such as trade, energy, environment, anti-terrorism, non-proliferation, science and technology, education and agriculture.

"Current tensions on the Korean Peninsula underscore the strategic value of the dialogue. At the same time, America's commercial relationship with China is critical to our nation's economic growth," John Frisbie, president of the U.S.-China Business Council, said in a statement.

The United States and China needed to cooperate more on issues such as regional security, energy and the environment, maintaining open trade and investment regimes, and coordinating economic recovery policies. The S&ED provided a forward-looking, high-level, cross-agency mechanism for dealing with key issues in the U.S.-China relationship, Frisbie said.

Equally important are the efforts to prevent the grasses from blocking the path of bilateral relations. Experience shows healthy developments typically come in Sino-U.S. relations when they concentrate on areas where common interests are shared while retaining differences.

It is not that they have to eliminate differences. China has been consistent that the two sides handle sensitive issues carefully and respect and consider the policies of each other on issues that greatly concern the other side.

The right of the other side to the road should also be respected. Differences indeed exist between the two sides in cultural traditions, values and beliefs, and approaches to development. The two, like two people, should have respect when dealing with each other.

It is complicated, but this should not stop us from believing that China and the United States shall be able to make the road better and wider to benefit themselves and the world.