BEIJING, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Experts attending an international online forum criticized the current U.S. policy toward China, and called for dialogue and cooperation between the two major countries to address common challenges facing mankind such as the coronavirus.
Washington's current China policy is "increasingly disconnected from mainstream policy community in the United States," said Evan Medeiros, former senior director for Asian Affairs at the White House's National Security Council serving former U.S. President Barack Obama's administration.
Speaking on Sunday at the ongoing virtual Taihe Civilizations Forum hosted by Taihe Institute, a Beijing-based think tank, Medeiros noted in particular that U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's recent speech at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum "doesn't have wide-spread support in either Democrats or Republican party circles."
Besides, such a China policy is also disconnected from the U.S. business community, who refuses confrontation in the economic relationship, Medeiros added.
Stephen Orlins, president of the National Committee on United States-China Relations, warned that the current U.S. administration "needs to stop distorting and exaggerating China's actions," and stop viewing China as a strategic competitor because China "does not pose an existential threat to Americans, our country or our way of life."
"Don't allow the lie that the engagement between our two countries has failed to prevail, because it has succeeded in ways too numerous to list," he said.
The two countries could take reciprocal steps, such as restarting a strategic and economic dialogue, and work together against such common threats to mankind as climate change, terrorism, global economic crisis and the current COVID-19 pandemic, he added.
Susan Thornton, former assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs at the U.S. Department of State, said although there are ups and downs in the history of U.S.-China relations, the record has shown that "the positive result of U.S.-China joint efforts is considerable."
Noting that retreating from globalization in face of the common challenges in the 21st century is irresponsible and will lead to regression in global development and progress, Thornton said, "we must find ways to open up more and together effectively deal with and mitigate the problems that the opening brings."
Susan M. Elliott, president and CEO of the National Committee on American Foreign Policy, warned that the worsening of U.S.-China relationship "will affect not just the U.S. and China, but all countries of the world."
Elliott suggested that both countries engage in negotiations and constructive dialogue, and cooperate to be leaders in the support of international norms and systems.
The two countries also need to "work together through diplomatic and private channels to develop effective COVID-19 diagnostics, treatments and vaccines," she added.
The United States should learn to adjust to an ever-developing China, said Wang Wen, head of the Financial Research Institute of China's Renmin University.
Wang suggested that intellectuals from both sides should play an active part in pushing forward dialogue between the two governments and cooperation between the two countries.