Kerry's trip may help bridge differences

US Secretary of State John Kerry began a two-day visit to China on Tuesday. His visit comes at an important juncture as both Beijing and Washington need to shore up greater political will to properly handle their differences and ensure the current stable picture of their bilateral interaction remains intact.

During Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to the United States last year, the two countries charted the course for their relations, vowing to jointly build a new type of major-country relationship. This reflects their shared resolve to avoid the Thucydides's trap - the likelihood of conflict between a rising power and an existing one.

Following through on this consensus will not only guarantee the right direction for the future development of bilateral ties but also contribute to world peace and stability, as international efforts to tackle global issues now increasingly hinge on cooperation between the world's two largest economies.