2017年11月9日，美国总统特朗普和中国国家主席习近平在中国北京人民大会堂会见商界领袖。（路透社）

如何与中国打交道，仍然是美国面临的历史性课题。奥巴马时期实施了亚太再平衡战略，特朗普时期种种迹象表明将实行一个更大范围内的亚太再平衡战略，即所谓印太合作框架。虽然这一战略还没有完全形成，但很有可能对中国倡议的“一带一路”建设以及周边地区合作带来隐患。

另外在朝核问题上，中美之间有了极大的合作的空间，也取得了一定的实效，但美朝的恶性互动、相互挑衅使得朝核问题的解决以及缓解都将遥遥无期，中国虽然发挥着重要作用，但相当有限，并不足以解决朝核问题。美国对中国的期待与中国的实际能力之间存在差距，美中在朝核问题解决的方式上也存在分歧。美国对朝鲜的单边制裁行为以及可能以对朝制裁为借口延伸制裁，很可能会影响中美关系的健康发展。蔡英文过境夏威夷问题、中美关于市场经济地位的分歧以及美国启动301条款调查，都是中美关系存在的长期隐患。

中美关系进入新时代，文化和经济上取得很大成功，而且在朝核等安全问题上重申了共识，但未来的中美关系有很多不确定性，朝核、南海等热点问题和经济合作可能出现新的摩擦，相互依存因素会出现新变化，军事和安全仍然是短板。

美国希望重新勾勒亚洲政策，而如何发展与中国的关系是亚洲政策的关键之一。如果说美国的盟友是它的兄弟，中国则是美国无可替代的重要战略伙伴。盟友可以换，而与中国的合作换不了，也替代不了。中美合作的重要性就在这里。中美关系的重要性，中美合作的重要性，都是不可缺少也是不可替代的。无论是亚洲地区的问题，还是世界范围内的问题，离开中美关系许多事情都办不成。尤其亚太地区的问题更是如此。

因此，美国需要改变过去的一些传统做法，调整美国的对华政策。

首先，历史经验表明，中美关系只要从战略上抓大放小，抓大化小，才能保证中美关系的稳定。也就是说，双方都不要因为一些细枝末节而影响关系的总体稳定，不要因为双边关系一出现矛盾就否定以前中美关系的成就，就对中美关系丧失信心和疑虑上升，就看不到中美关系的大局。

其次，中美关系的总体稳定很重要。信任可以促进稳定，反过来稳定也可以促进信任，我们不可能等到解决了所有问题后才来获得稳定。我们的关系始终是在各种复杂矛盾和摩擦中管控分歧、把握稳定。

第三，希望美国对于中国的新建议、新倡仪给予一定的积极反应。不要以有色眼镜看待中国的方案，不要带着怀疑的眼光看待中国的建议，也不要总是从零和思维分析中国方案的动机。当中国提出亚洲基础设施投资银行时，美国一开始极力反对，事实证明这是习惯思维的错误。

最后，中国影响力的不断扩大，这是美国必须面对的现实。无论是遏制、接触还是接触加遏制，都无法阻止中国扩大国际影响力。只要这种影响力的扩大是以合理合法的方式进行，美国就无权干涉和阻止。竞争的最佳方式不是美国如何限制别国，而是如何以合理的方式提高自己。那种以霸道方式阻止他国尤其是新兴的大国发展，已被证明是行不通的，也是不可能奏效的。

US President Donald Trump and China's President Xi Jinping meet business leaders at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, November 9, 2017.  (Reuters)

For any American administration, it is a task of historic significance to engage with China. The Obama administration's pivot to Asia and the Trump administration's Indo-Pacific strategy suggest the United States will increase its presence in Asia. Though it remains a work in progress, the Indo-Pacific strategy is set to pose renewed challenges to China's Belt and Road initiative, and regional cooperation as a whole.

At the forefront is the North Korean nuclear issue, where China and the United States still have great room for cooperation, with some substantial measures already being pursued. But the de-escalation of tensions and the ultimate solution hinge on continued cooperation and goodwill between China and the United States. Otherwise, the solution will only be more elusive. China plays an important but limited role on the issue, and what the Unites States expects of it simply goes beyond what Beijing is able to offer. In addition, China and the Unites States espouse different approaches towards the issue. US-led sanctions against the DPRK, the Taiwan issue, and the Section 301 investigation of China may jeopardize China-US relations.

China-US relations have entered a new era. Along with more fruitful engagements in the economic and cultural spheres, more common ground has been reached in security cooperation, including the North Korean nuclear issue. Nevertheless, uncertainty still looms, with new causes of friction between the two powers emerging.

China-US relations are at the center of US strategy towards Asia. The United States is reshaping its Asia strategy, and China will prove to be an indispensible partner, as opposed to some US allies whose roles are more or less interchangeable. Many regional and global issues cannot be solved without cooperation between China and the Unites States.

For this relationship to work, the United States has to change its policies towards China.

Both sides should focus on issues of strategic importance, while working to shelve differences on lesser issues. Minor issues should not stand in the way of overall stability. Neither should differences obscure or obstruct the tremendous progress that's been made.

It is essential to maintain overall stability in China-US relations. Trust will underpin stability, and stability will reinforce trust. Like any other bilateral ties, China-US relations will not be free from differences, therefore it is impossible to wait till all differences are addressed to build a stable relationship. Managing the relationship is a dynamic process.

The United States could respond more positively to the new initiatives and new proposals championed by China, rather than examining every idea stemming from China through the lens of skepticism and zero sum competition. For instance, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank met strong resistance from the United States, resistance that was ultimately futile.

To sum up, the United States must live with the reality that China will continue to grow stronger; any attempt to curtail China's influence will come to naught, be it engagement or containment or “congagement”. As long as China's rise is legitimate and lawful, the Unites States has no right to intervene or obstruct. The best way to meet competition is not to contain others, but to improve oneself in order to outperform the other. To seek hegemony or dominance over a rising country will not work.