China proposes constructive strategic stability for US relations

China is advocating for a new positioning in its relationship with the United States termed ‘constructive strategic stability’. This framework aims to move beyond mere principle declarations toward an operationalized institutional framework for managing great power competition.

The core components of this proposed stability include cooperation-oriented active stability, controlled competition, manageable differences, and sustainable peace. This approach is presented as a strategic effort to avoid the ‘Thucydides Trap’ and provides a guideline for bilateral interactions.

Recent years have seen significant volatility, including unilateral strategic competition and trade tensions. However, following high-level communications and meetings between leaders, the relationship has entered a phase of relative stabilization, characterized by a shift toward more restrained policy expressions in certain strategic documents.