Foreseeing the Future of Chinese-American Relations
Dr. Alaa Sulaiman Aldeek
During his visit to the United States from September 23 to 25, 2026, Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed the need to “stabilize the strategic relationship between the two countries through proper competition based on mutual respect, promote equality and fairness, manage differences in consultation, avoid conflicts and respect sovereignty, and build peace by strengthening mutual trust”. Accordingly, the importance of this article came to foresee the outcomes of that summit and its impact on contemporary regional and international files, especially since the world is going through a period of political, security, development and economic instability as a result of the aggravation of wars and conflicts.
We can say that Beijing and Washington are major players as two large countries with effective political, military, economic and technological weight, and they bear an important historical responsibility to promote the development and progress of mankind, so the sustainable relationship between them will have positive repercussions on the others, and this is logical. Therefore, it is necessary to assess and highlight the foreign policies of both countries, and reflects on the future of international relations within the framework of the international system, and seeks to resolve relevant regional and international issues later.
Bilateral Relations
Based on the foundations of international relations, it is natural that the relationship between the two parties should be based on mutual respect, competition should be sound, differences should be respected and mutual trust should be strengthened through dialogue, in order to reach serious cooperation and seek to resolve most of the outstanding international issues that contribute to achieving stability for others and thus promoting sustainable peace and development. On the other hand, we see that Washington still views China as a competitor to be overcome, so we find it working day and night in order to maintain alliances in the international system with the aim of strengthening unilateralism through hegemony and enhancing influence and control, not to mention its lack of cooperation with Chinese initiatives (Security and Governance) to resolve disputes and outstanding issues regionally and internationally, and therefore the apparent and also hidden is the sustainability of a turbulent world to serve a party that wants to remain in control at the expense of the rights of other parties.
And also about Washington’s support and demand for Taiwan independence, which Beijing considers unacceptable and interference in its internal affairs and Washington demands to deal with the matter wisely and seriously, and respect China’s sovereignty and unity in accordance with international law and its references. On the other hand, Beijing emphasizes building sustainable partnerships based on respect for the sovereignty and rights of all countries regardless of their size or wealth, rejecting alliances, interfering in the affairs of others or aggression, resolving all disputes by peaceful means and in accordance with international law, in addition to adhering to the international system as a reference to maintain the proper foundations of international relations on the basis of International Governance and justice, in order to achieve victory and common destiny on the basis of equality and mutual benefit without exception.
At the international level
Beijing has effectively put forward several vital initiatives (Belt and Road, Development, Security, Civilization, and Governance) to address international challenges in the security, development, and governance sectors, with the aim of strengthening multilateral cooperation and rejecting blocs and hegemony. Also, international organizations have been established with the aim of achieving sustainable peace and development (BRICS, Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, International Mediation Organization, and others), provided that these organizations complement and support other international organizations and are not a substitute for them.
In addition, Beijing stresses the need to abide by international law and the institutions of the international system, and in this regard calls for multilateralism on the basis of cooperation and effective joint action, rejection of unilateralism and strengthening influence. In contrast, Washington seeks to use international institutions (the World Bank and others) to strengthen influence and enforce control over other countries, not to mention depriving others of justice and equality in dealing, especially with the countries of the south and others.
Besides, Washington seeks to weaken the international system, the UN Charter and international law in order to preserve unilateralism in the international system, in order to abort multilateral cooperation between member states and strengthen blocs, as well as strengthen control over the international system to support allies. Also, Washington refused to cooperate with Beijing regarding the effective initiatives presented by Chinese diplomacy aimed at resolving outstanding international issues and, consequently, the possibility of achieving sustainable peace and development. Therefore, Chinese-American cooperation not only serves the interests of the peoples of the two countries, but also has an impact on the global political and economic scenes.
At the regional level
Beijing is committed to seeking security, stability and prosperity in the Middle East, stressing the need to respect the sovereignty of states, non-aggression and refusal to interfere in internal affairs, not to mention rejecting foreign occupation and respect the right of self-determination of the occupied peoples in accordance with international law, such as commitment to the Justice of the Palestinian case “firmly”.
Also, Beijing seeks to strengthen unity, solidarity and integration between all parties in the region, in order to get rid of hate speech and end the state of internal congestion and conflicts, in the case of Iran and some countries in the region, the deterioration of the security situation of some countries in the region due to the continuation of conflicts and divisions, in the case of Libya, Yemen, Sudan, Iraq, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, and others.
On the other hand, Washington seeks to support allies in the region, foremost of which is Israel, and fuels instability among the countries of the region by building regional blocs and alliances aimed at strengthening its control over the region, and to thwart any attempt at unity, integration and solidarity between all parties, as it is waging an open war on Iran without an international mandate, not to mention seeking to form a bloc of Arab, African and Western countries to enter into a state of war with Iran in order to destabilize regional stability and national reconciliation.
In addition, justice ignores the Palestinian cause and supports Israel with its open war on the Palestinian people, militarily, politically and materially, and in the corridors of the United Nations it commits to using a “veto” when it comes to promoting and embodying the rights of Palestinians, or any international resolution that obliges Israel to implement, not to mention not to allow condemning Israel or imposing sanctions on it when it ignores international law.
At the Arab level
Washington is still seeking to create blocs and alliances at the Arab level, not to mention its direct interference in the internal affairs of some of them, besides ignoring respect for the right of self-determination and the embodiment of the rights of others, such as Palestine and others. In addition, it seeks to create a new alliance in the region against Iran, the Houthis and others, considering that it defends common Arab interests and protects its security, and it is clear to the obvious that it ignores urging all parties to stick to peaceful options to get out of the current crisis instead of expanding it into a comprehensive regional war, and then threaten international security and peace.
Washington also refuses and ignores the solution of the central issue in the region, the “Palestinian issue”, and calls on the countries of the region to recognize Israel and establish normal relations with it without resolving the basic issue, which contradicts the outcomes of the Arab Peace Initiative unanimously approved by the United Nations and the league of Arab states in 2002. In return, Beijing seeks “resolutely and steadfastly” to support the Justice of the Palestinian cause, end the occupation and establish an independent and sovereign Palestinian state, and also supports the security, stability and prosperity of the peoples of the region to preserve their national gains by respecting the sovereignty and rights of states and rejecting aggression or interference in their affairs.
China and the Arab countries are strategic partners in the “Belt and Road” Initiative and seek to build a community of common destiny, as confirmed by the outcomes of the first Arab-Chinese summit in Riyadh in 2022, and the results of summits, visits and joint forums at all levels and in various sectors. Therefore, China’s objective position plays a constructive role in calming the situation and seeking to resolve all issues in order to preserve the peace, stability and prosperity of the countries and peoples of the region.
At the Palestinian level
The Chinese position on the Palestinian issue has been consistent and continuous in support of the Justice of Palestinian rights and goals since the Bandung Conference in 1955, which rejected colonialism, affirmed the right of peoples to self-determination, supported national liberation movements, respect for the sovereignty of states and rejected foreign occupation, and demanded the need to promote peace and international cooperation in accordance with the references and principles of international law. Also, Beijing has maintained a firm position in international forums and summits of international organizations towards the Justice of the Palestinian cause and the need to establish an independent and sovereign Palestinian state, and rejected all forms of occupation and its daily measures in Palestine, considering the Palestinian issue as the central issue for establishing security, peace and stability in the region.
In contrast, Washington continues to ignore Palestinian rights in all forums and supports Israel by all means and possibilities regionally and internationally, not to mention the lack of commitment and cooperation with Beijing and the international consensus to apply the resolutions of international legitimacy on Palestine. And the Palestinian politicians are still betting on the American and Western position to achieve their national goals, and they are not interested in the positions of Chinese diplomacy on their issue except the traditional positions that we are used to, sometimes they appreciate and welcome without providing any initiatives to build on the Chinese position and follow it, and sometimes they demand Beijing a supportive position to get out of an emergency crisis on the international arena.
In addition to the increasing internal division and the absence of governance and legitimacy of institutions, and therefore the absence of integration, solidarity and unity among the Palestinians themselves, which is considered one of the most important obstacles to the success of Chinese diplomacy’s goals towards resolving the Palestinian issue in the future with international parties and powers.
The result
It is logical that the stability of the constructive strategic relationship between Beijing and Washington on the basis of respect, fairness and reciprocity will contribute to a qualitative leap in the future of international relations and the international system at all levels, which will be reflected on the international political and economic scenes with Justice and fairness, and the success of sustainable development and peace.
The optimism of this visit by the Chinese leadership and nation came as a result of the contributions made by Beijing, such as initiatives, proposals and ideas characterized by openness, with the aim of addressing the root causes of solving all issues, both at the level of bilateral relations in all fields, and at the level of solving all major international and regional problems through enhanced coordination, cooperation and dialogue.
On the other hand, despite the American Welcome to the visit and the praise of the understandings that followed, Washington’s credibility remains at stake, and this means that the ball is in their court, China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity must be respected, and the demand for Taiwan independence must cease.
And with regard to economic and trade relations between the two countries, it is necessary to strengthen the confidence of the markets, and this will benefit peoples, the development path and industries, and thus effectively contribute to the support and stability of the global economy. And also strengthening cooperation, resolving differences in consultation and avoiding conflicts requires respect for bilateral and international relations and the status of each state, and then strengthening the international system as a multilateral and not unilateral reference, and solving all outstanding international and regional issues in accordance with international law and on the basis of justice, equality and benefit for all.
Therefore, the bet will remain on Washington’s position and the extent to which it is serious to apply this at the level of developing bilateral relations and serious cooperation to resolve all international issues.
