Beijing Symposium Urges Managed Competition in China-US Relations

Scholars and experts gathered in Beijing on May 21, 2026, for the Symposium on the Future of China-US Relations, convened to assess the trajectory of bilateral ties following a recent summit between Xi Jinping and Donald Trump. The event, co-organized by China Daily's Opinion Channel, the Institute of American Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, and the Chinese Association of American Studies, centered on the concept of "constructive strategic stability."

Participants argued that the relationship should shift toward "managed competition" rather than unmanaged rivalry, stressing the need to keep competition within defined boundaries while reopening cooperation in areas such as climate science, public health, and education. The discussion underscored that a stable relationship between the two superpowers is critical for global development and prevents other nations from being forced to choose sides.

The symposium reflected a broader push among policy thinkers to define a framework that contains strategic friction without eliminating collaborative engagement on shared global challenges.