Peoples' shared dream of a better future
Looking to the future, China's continued development means releasing the huge potential of domestic demand and creating an ever-expanding domestic market. The report "US-China Economic Relations over the Next 10 Years" released by the China-US Exchange Foundation predicts that China will become the world's largest importer by 2022, with its imports from the US expected to surpass $530 billion. By then the value of China's exports to the US is expected to grow to $805 billion.
To realize their dreams, people in China and the US, based on the two sides of the Pacific, need to maintain the good momentum of peace, development and cooperation that has been built in the Asia-Pacific region. As key stakeholders in the world economy and the international system, China and the US will benefit from peaceful coexistence and lose from conflict. A head-on clash between the two powers would have great consequences for the whole world as a whole.
China and the US should work together, enhance strategic mutual trust, expand common interests and jointly explore ways to establish a new type of great power relations, creating a win-win cooperation situation in the Asia-Pacific and making due contribution to lasting peace and the common development of the Asia-Pacific region.
China will adhere to the path of peaceful development and other powers should also adhere to the path of peaceful development. China advocates awareness of a "human community, shared destiny" and insists on promoting the spirit of equality and mutual trust, tolerance and mutual learning, cooperation and mutual benefits. Henry Kissinger put forward the concept of a "Pacific Community", suggesting the US, China and other countries in the region all participate in regional peace and development initiatives.
The Chinese dream and the American dream are not conflicting, nor mutually exclusive. Both sides can seek common ground while reserving differences. Peaceful development and win-win cooperation is the direction of the Chinese people in pursuit of their dream, which is in line with the common interests and desire of the peoples of the world. China and the US, indeed all countries, should make efforts to move in this direction for the sake of lasting peace and common prosperity in pursuit of their dreams.
The author is a Bejing-based scholar of international relations.