China-US cooperation Illustration: Chen Xia/GT

As the world's two most influential major powers, the trajectory of China-US relations shapes the global landscape and bears upon world peace and development. In recent years, the relationship has weathered ups and downs. While competitive dynamics persist and structural differences remain difficult to resolve in the short term, the two countries share deep economic and social interdependence and retain room for consultation and cooperation, placing the bilateral relationship at a critical juncture of dynamic adjustment. 

During Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to the US from September 23 to 25, the two heads of state engaged in candid and in-depth exchanges. Focusing on strategic stability and major global issues, they reached eight deliverables and understandings and finalized arrangements for supporting cooperation such as military-to-military communication, continued cooperation on searching for the remains of US soldiers in China. This visit helped set the course of China-US relations and established a framework for positive interaction. 

Nonetheless, it must be acknowledged that all consensus will ultimately be tested by domestic politics and the interplay of competing interests, and significant uncertainties remain regarding the translation of these agreements into concrete action.

First, consolidating the foundation of strategic mutual trust and establishing a framework for stable coexistence constitute the core essence of the consensus reached between China and the US. The two countries have explicitly agreed to build a constructive relationship of strategic stability based on respect, fairness and reciprocity; by revisiting the history of having fought side-by-side as allies during World War II, they have established fundamental principles for bilateral relations at the strategic level. 

However, significant differences in perception persist between the two sides, and with varying views among domestic factions in the US regarding how major powers should coexist, the risk of strategic miscalculation remains ever-present. 

China and the US need to reduce the room for miscalculation through regular high-level communication, respecting each other's development paths and core interests, and abandoning erroneous practices of containment, suppression and confrontation. Building upon historical consensus to forge a consensus on cooperation, the two countries can align their positions on issues such as international security and the global order - jointly safeguarding the safety and openness of international waterways and upholding nuclear nonproliferation principles - thereby creating the broader conditions for practical cooperation across fields. 

Second, deepening cooperation in practical areas and advancing mutually beneficial arrangements serve as the core mechanism for implementing the consensus reached between China and the US. While the consensus covers various practical fields such as economics and trade, counternarcotics and global governance, bilateral economic and trade cooperation is frequently disrupted by factors like US domestic interest groups and congressional maneuvering, making the implementation process highly susceptible to obstacles. 

Realizing this consensus requires the establishment of a normalized mechanism to drive implementation. Economic and trade teams should continue to refine the details of tariff reductions and improve the bilateral trade environment; counternarcotics and law enforcement agencies should deepen routine joint operations, enhance intelligence sharing and curb the spread of new types of drug-related crimes; and diplomatic departments should coordinate cooperation on major international conferences and deepen policy alignment through multilateral platforms. Maintaining the political will to implement these agreements fosters the stable development of bilateral relations, yet both sides must also be prepared for continued strategic maneuvering and the possibility of short-term setbacks in the relationship.

Furthermore, improving governance in emerging fields and strengthening risk management systems represent an innovative highlight of the recent China-US consensus. As emerging technologies like artificial intelligence evolve rapidly, technological risks and governance deficits have become shared global challenges; meanwhile, technological competition itself has fueled mutual suspicion, emerging as a new source of friction in the bilateral relationship. Implementing this consensus on innovative governance hinges on establishing robust rules and mechanisms. 

In the realm of artificial intelligence, the two countries need to engage in dialogue focusing on core issues such as technological risks, ethical standards and safety controls; they should establish regular communication mechanisms to address sudden risks promptly and prevent technological competition from spiraling into all-out confrontation. 

In the military and security sphere, China and the US should accelerate the finalization and signing of a memorandum of understanding on crisis communication, refine protocols for military-to-military communication and the handling of contingencies. Such crisis management mechanisms serve as a safety net to help prevent the accidental escalation of conflict, yet success requires both sides to possess the resolve to consistently abide by the rules and the steadfastness to withstand the tests that lie ahead.

The series of consensus reached during this meeting provides a viable path for the stable development of bilateral relations. However, the structural contradictions between China and the US cannot simply vanish after a single meeting, and the road to implementing the consensus is bound to be far from smooth. 

Only by steadfastly adhering to the principles of respect, fairness and reciprocity while taking the consensus reached by the heads of state as a guide and its implementation as the key can the two countries manage differences, uphold bottom lines and sustain cooperation. Only then can they steadily advance a constructive relationship of strategic stability and inject the invaluable strength of major-power collaboration into the transformation of global governance.

The author is a professor at the Party School of the CPC Shandong Committee. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn