When President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping meet later this month, it will be against a backdrop of global upheaval. Rising oil prices, simmering regional conflict, and an increasingly unstable global economy threaten the United States and China just as leaders from both countries are seeking stability and control.
The meeting is an opportunity for the two presidents to forge a new path for U.S.-China relations, one that is no longer trapped in a cyclical spiral down fueled by mistrust and security paranoia. For the first time in decades, we have an American president who right sizes the China challenge. Trump understands we are economic competitors and knows that both countries should do everything possible to avoid confrontation.
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He has an excellent relationship with the president of China, saying, “President Xi is a great leader of a great country, and I think we’re going to have a fantastic relationship for a long period of time.” As Trump prepares to head to China, he should lean on that “fantastic relationship” to push forward changes in the U.S.-China relationship that will benefit Americans.
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The prevailing consensus in Washington is urging Trump against taking important actions necessary to reorient the relationship. In the name of national security, many experts say that Trump should close off the U.S. from China, limiting our engagement only to areas deemed secure and low risk. Their vision is too timid and narrow.
The Washington Consensus has made our country poorer and less safe. It has upended the lives of researchers, students, entrepreneurs, and farmers. And it has not prepared us for the challenges that lie ahead. Proponents of this strategy say that it is a necessary course correction after years of supposed U.S. ignorance of China’s true ambitions. We are now 10 years into this new consensus, and I remain unconvinced that Americans benefit from higher prices, fewer choices, and more restrictions.
I returned from China this week and saw firsthand that the Biden/Sullivan “small yard high fence” has failed. Overly broad restrictions on chip exports were made without sufficient consultation with industry, costing American jobs and doing nothing to reduce the trade deficit. Former President Joe Biden’s restrictions on Chinese electric vehicles, even though they would be produced by Americans, deprive consumers of low-cost, efficient options. Overturning these policies will create an export boom that will materially reduce the trade deficit with China and improve U.S.-China relations.
We need leadership that can see above the politics of the day and upends norms that no longer serve us. Trump is no stranger to bucking the trend and creating new norms. His second term began with a flurry of actions many deemed unthinkable just a few years ago. When it comes to China, Trump has shown a consistent ability to go against the Washington Consensus and craft policies that will benefit U.S. businesses and consumers.
I am reminded of my time in President Jimmy Carter’s State Department, when we established diplomatic relations with China. At the time, the political and media consensus opposed thawing ties. Even members of Carter’s own party warned it would be a security and economic mistake. But Carter looked beyond the politics of the moment, and people in both countries have benefited from his courageous leadership.
While legitimate national security concerns must be respected, our country must have a sensible definition of what is a threat to U.S. security. This should be a primary goal for the Trump-Xi summit. The two leaders have shown a great fondness for each other and the ability to go outside their bureaucracies to accomplish goals. After the meeting, joint working groups between U.S. and Chinese trade and defense officials should be established with the goal of greenlighting areas of economic cooperation that benefit both countries.
Alongside structural discussions, Trump could score easy political points by boosting exports of agricultural goods to China, benefiting farmers throughout the U.S. He could also continue his revival of U.S. manufacturing by securing a sizable increase in China’s imports of Boeing airplanes. More broadly, the two leaders should also work on increasing two-way investment, which benefits communities and consumers in both countries.
And this meeting should only be the beginning. In the coming months, the two presidents should meet several times to put U.S.-China relations on a track that benefits the people of China and the U.S.
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Rebuilding some semblance of trust will take time. We have allowed our muscles of cooperation to atrophy. But with strong leadership from Trump, we can again learn to work with China. To be sure, our countries will be long-term economic competitors, but we can also be long-term cooperators on issues of common concern.
When the next pandemic rises or the next war breaks out, the world will be a safer place if the U.S. and China can find a way to live together. I believe we have the leadership in place that can achieve this goal.
Steve Orlins has been president of the National Committee since 2005. The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations.
