Different strategic intentions

China and the US should enhance mutual understanding, foster greater trust and expand their common interests

Since 2009, the Obama administration has gradually adjusted the United States' strategic layout in the Asia-Pacific region. As a result, there are many different statements on the United States' strategic transformation in the Chinese media and academic field, such as "return to Asia", "pivot to Asia", "Asia-Pacific rebalance".

Many Chinese people believe that the implementation of President Barack Obama's new Asia-Pacific strategy has had a profound impact on China-US relations, mainly negative, producing greater misunderstanding and suspicion, as well as more uncertainties in the development of China-US relations. Consequently, there is a view in both countries that there will ultimately be a strategic confrontation. But is such a pessimistic outlook really the future of China-US relations? How to assess the development of China-US relations? Indeed, there are many variables that influence the development of Sino-US relations, but fundamentally they depend on the two aspects: the strategic intentions and strategic capabilities of the two countries.