“China is neither an ally or a friend–they want to beat us and own our country.” President Trump tweeted this message in 2011 and his rhetoric remains unchanged eight years later in 2019. Embroiled in a tense trade war with China, the US is determined to emerge from trade negotiations with what it views as fairer trade terms with Beijing. However, any gains achieved from negotiations with China are likely to be only temporary.

China continues to unveil ambitious economic plans such as Made in China 2025, ‘Buy China’ and the One Belt, One Road Initiative with the goal of dominating the global supply chain and expanding its economic influence. These plans fixate on investing in and dominating key sectors such as artificial intelligence, new materials, and aerospace while also developing emerging markets in Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America. America perceives these plans as a significant threat to its industry as demonstrated by the US Chamber of Commerce’s release of an eighty-four page report about Made in China 2025. The Chamber notes in their report that they are “concerned about the growing risk that policies such as MIC 2025 pose for China’s relationships with its key economic and commercial partners, including the United States.”

Instead of publishing inflammatory reports which center on criticizing China’s economic ambitions, the United States should focus its attention on increasing cooperation with China on economic, political, and social fronts. As the second-largest economy, it is only natural that China seeks to change the current world order by overtaking American hegemony, and the US should be prepared to compete by out-innovating China. This competition doesn’t have to be a Soviet-esque space race where each side is motivated by fear and national pride, however. The United States and China can have a friendly competition where each nation cultivates their best talent to tackle important global issues such as climate change and medical research.

Breakthroughs which develop as a result of this friendly competition would benefit both countries as they develop new technologies and industries which lead to new jobs and economic growth. The US would solidify itself as a key trading partner for China if it is at the center of technological breakthroughs and innovation, and the US would not want to isolate itself from a market with nearly 1.4 billion consumers.

A recent example of competitive cooperation between the United States and China is the Chinese-led Chang’e 4 lunar exploration mission. This mission resulted in China being the first country to ever soft land a spacecraft on the far side of the moon and sprout plant life (which died shortly after due to the freezing temperatures). The China National Space Administration (CNSA) cooperated with NASA extensively prior to the mission and was asked to photograph the lander using its Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. In a press conference following the mission, the CNSA noted that they intend to cooperate more with the US and other countries on future space endeavors, mentioning the possibility of establishing a space lab with the US and other countries on the moon.

Following the arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou, there has been a lot of discussion surrounding competition between the US and China to develop 5G networks. The United States has been pressuring its allies to not employ Huawei 5G technology citing security concerns and alleged connections to the Chinese government. However, Huawei is an industry leader in the development of 5G, and instead of trying to isolate the company we should seek to develop a partnership with them instead. If the United States changes its perspective of Huawei from a threat to an opportunity for growth and technological advancement, both the United States and China can benefit.

The trade war is a regressive solution in an ever-changing world where multilateral cooperation is paramount, especially when faced with global challenges such as the effects of climate change. President Trump’s ‘real deal’ with China should focus on increasing cooperation and developing an ally out of an adversary instead of short-term trade gains which are unsustainable assuming China continues to innovate.

Trenton Marsolek is a Research Assistant intern at the Institute for China-America Studies and an undergraduate at American University in Washington, D.C.