As the two countries boasting the first and second largest number of Internet users across the world, China and the US have been witnessing increasingly fierce misunderstanding and contention in cyberspace, drawing keen attention from both governments.

Confronting frequent provocations from the US in cyberspace, China follows its own policies and maintains a calm attitude. But this seemingly civilized argument is just beginning.

On March 28, US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel published an address at the retirement ceremony of Army General Keith B. Alexander, head of US Cyber Command and National Security Agency, "Cyberspace will be a part of all future conflicts [...] In 2016, that force should number 6,000 professionals who, with the close support of National Security Agency, will be integrated with our combatant commands around the world."

Hagel also underlined that "the US does not seek to 'militarize' cyberspace" but maintains "an approach of restraint to any cyber operations outside the US government networks."

It is worth noting, however, that Hagel had made the speech just before he kicked off his visit to Beijing Monday. His remarks served as a head-on blow to China to a certain degree, at a time when ties are still healing the trauma brought about by the PRISM program and also jeopardizing Sino-US bilateral ties.

Ushering in the 21st century, the focus of competition among great powers has begun to extend from traditional security to non-traditional security fronts, in which the scramble for cyberspace has become a priority.

Washington has taken the first step to jostle for cyber supremacy. In 2009, then defense secretary Robert Gates approved the creation of the US Cyber Command as part of a Pentagon effort to promote cyber defense capacities.

In 2011, Washington released the US International Strategy for Cyberspace in May and then the Strategy for Operating in Cyberspace in July.

The series of actions demonstrate that the US has been attaching great importance to cyber security and defense.

Now the US has incontrovertible advantages in overall strength, industrial competitiveness and soft power. It boasts the three operating system giants of Apple, Google and Microsoft.

In contrast, China is in a disadvantageous position for lack of competitive enterprises in this realm.

Washington has been accusing other countries of carrying out cyber attacks on it while eavesdropping on them, putting itself in a controversial position. Nonetheless, the Edward Snowden affair dropped the nation from a moral high ground, and plunged its cyber-related policies at the epicenter of condemnation from the rest of the world.

George William Curtis (1824-92), US writer and public speaker, once remarked, "The fragrance always stays in the hand that gives the rose." It is high time for Washington to mull over this time-honored proverb. Misunderstanding and contention between Beijing and Washington in cyberspace is fundamentally caused by the US side.

What information Hagel will convey during his stay in Beijing is highly expected, but it is too early to conclude whether his journey will effectively alleviate the tension between China and the US in cyber warfare.

The competition between a hegemon and a rising power is all-dimensional and the two nations will likely engage in a cyber row for a long time to come.

There is a motto that "United we stand, divided we fall." To bridge the gap between China and the US triggered by cyber-related issues, we should establish long-term effective communication mechanisms, including multi-channel dialogues on cyber security among high-level officials and scholars.

Only when we find common interests in cyberspace through consultations and exchanges will we lay a solid foundation for the development of the new type of great power relations between the two countries.

The author is an assistant research fellow with the Research Centre on China and International Relations, University of International Relations. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn