Scholars and policy experts gathered at the 14th World Peace Forum in Beijing to examine whether stability between China and the United States can still anchor an increasingly fragmented world order.

The panel titled "Sino-American Relations and International Stability" brought together academics from China, the United States and international institutions for a discussion moderated by Da Wei, director of the Center for International Security and Strategy at Tsinghua University.

Thomas Fingar of Stanford University argued that viewing global affairs primarily through the lens of China-US competition overlooks the growing influence of regional conflicts, shifting alliance dynamics and strategic choices by third countries in shaping the current international system. While strengthening bilateral cooperation remains important, he noted that addressing global challenges will require broader international engagement, and the interests and strategic choices of third countries also significantly affect both Sino-US relations and world stability.

Several speakers referenced the recent meeting between the Chinese and US presidents, during which both sides described their relations as "constructive strategic stability." Wu Xinbo of Fudan University and Yu Tiejun of Peking University viewed this phrasing as a significant step toward more stable long-term relations. They said the development signals a move away from decoupling and de-risking toward increased dialogue and cooperation in areas such as artificial intelligence, financial governance, arms control and crisis management.

Offering a more cautious analysis, Clifford Kupchan, chairman emeritus of the Eurasia Group, described the current US-China relationship as one of "competitive coexistence." He said recent progress has focused on establishing guardrails and preventing conflict rather than expanding cooperation. As technological and supply-chain decoupling accelerates, the relationship increasingly resembles US-Soviet ties during the Cold War, in which key issues had to be managed separately despite broader strategic rivalry.

Sun Yun, director of the China Program at the Stimson Center, highlighted persistent differences in how Beijing and Washington interpret "constructive strategic stability," noting that China emphasizes cooperation while the United States places greater priority on risk management and crisis prevention. She said the future trajectory of Sino-US relations will be shaped by both President Trump's personal approach and China's growing national strength.