Stabilizing the China-U.S. Relationship

Both the U.S. and China have a genuine desire to stabilize their bilateral relationship despite the challenging circumstances. The complexity of the relationship is heightened by political pressures that often strain official channels of communication, especially in critical areas like strategic discussions and law enforcement. Even without ideal conditions, informal dialogues, such as track two dialogues, provide channels for communication that can help manage the relationship. Mr. Waters emphasizes the importance of these dialogues by illustrating how extended discussions can lead to a deeper understanding of each side's positions, particularly in high-stakes scenarios.