Differences and Common Ground

The China-US trade dispute has grabbed headlines and roiled world markets. It has captured the attention of policy makers and opinion writers，importers and exporters，factory owners and assembly line workers，farmers and consumers.

The dispute is seemingly over trade surpluses and deficits，intellectual property rights and market fair play. Some argue that it is more about ideology，while others insist it is a matter of values. Some maintain it is fundamentally a clash over technology while still others see it as a tug-of-war between a businessman and politicians.

The different perspectives on what is at stake lead to different strategies and possible outcomes. There are three ways of resolving the dispute ¨C blindly making concessions，fighting to protect every inch of national and personal interest and taking a measured middle ground. Trade talks are one day said to be making progress and the next sadly short of any real meeting of the minds. Some place their hopes on a quick and decisive battle，while others counsel preparation for a protracted struggle.

China and the US enjoyed several decades of relatively smooth relations. But as an old saying puts it "no morning sun lasts a whole day." While some might suggest the dispute is merely a matter of "seven-year itch" in the bilateral relationship，