Time to turn over a new leaf

US must honor 'One China' principle and China's sovereignty, and both sides should dispel hegemony for the benefit of all

Forty years ago, China and the US made epoch-making contact when former US president Richard Nixon paid an unprecedented visit to China at Beijing's invitation.

At that time, the two powers were entangled ideologically and strategically, and Beijing and Washington were confronting various issues ranging from Taiwan to Vietnam. Both were strategically mired - China was plagued by internal chaos and the US was deeply trapped in Southeast Asia.