A favorable beginning

Maritime territorial disputes in the South China Sea and East China Sea between China and some of its neighbors have flared up in recent years, and Washington has a decisive influence on the policymaking of nearly all the countries involved in maritime disputes with China. Therefore, China has been keeping a close eye on the US' policies and actions concerning the Asia-Pacific region.

Although relations between China and the US have experienced a lot of twists and turns over the years because of their mutual suspicion and different strategic concerns, China is committed to building a new type of relationship between the two major powers, a relationship featuring mutual respect and cooperation rather than conflict and confrontation.

During their meeting, Xi reiterated that both sides should work hard to build a new type of relationship between big powers and cooperate with each other for win-win results, which would be in the interests of both countries and the world.

Xi said that China-US relations now stand at a new historical starting point. From economic development and a global economic recovery, as well as various international and regional hotspot issues and global challenges, the two countries share important and extensive common interests that require they strengthen exchanges and cooperation.

Washington knows the need for cooperation with China, and partly accepts the logic of a "new model" of power relations. Obama responded actively to Xi' proposal, saying that the US placed great importance on its relations with China and is willing to construct a new state-to-state cooperation model with China so as to jointly meet various global challenges. US National Security Adviser Thomas Donilon also said that a rising power and an established power are not destined for conflict, and he also called for the two countries to build a new model of relations between an existing power and an emerging one.

However, some in the US are suspicious of this "new model" and continue to view China as a potential adversary.

But the two-day summit has had a positive influence on redefining the world's most important bilateral relationship, and has gone some way to overcoming the suspicion between the two sides.

The author is a researcher in the Institute of American Studies under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.