by Shao Xia

In recent years, China's technological advances have made repeated headlines, prompting Western media to reach for the Cold War analogy of the "Sputnik moment," when the satellite launched by the USSR in 1957 stunned the United States and upended assumptions of American technological supremacy, igniting a frantic, defense-driven space race.

Nearly 70 years on, this framing -- now applied to China's tech ascent -- may sound like a grudging compliment, but it reflects a deeper zero-sum mindset that stokes anxiety over the perceived loss of tech hegemony and fuels cutthroat competition at the expense of constructive cooperation. This approach has proven to serve nobody's interests.

The world today is fundamentally different. Beijing and Washington have the opportunity and the responsibility to move beyond the outdated mentality.

CHINA-U.S. COOPERATION CAN BE VIABLE AND MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL

Global technology supply chains are now deeply intertwined. Attempts at zero-sum competition or forced decoupling run counter to both commercial logic and the realities of modern industrial development. China and the United States each have their own strengths in the technology sector, and their capabilities are highly complementary. Rather than opponents in a boxing ring, they are natural partners who can cooperate for mutual benefit.

For instance, the United States demonstrates great strengths in foundational research and frontier exploration, supported by world-class universities and research institutions that drive "0-to-1" original innovation and pioneering discoveries.

China, for its part, is an undisputed hub for real-world integration and industrial scaling, enabling it not only to translate laboratory concepts into mass-produced products at remarkable speed, but also to leverage vast application scenarios to refine and upgrade technologies through continuous iteration.

While technological complementarity lays the foundation, market interests have provided a critical driving force behind China-U.S. technological cooperation. The high-profile business delegation that traveled to China with U.S. President Donald Trump underscores how indispensable the Chinese market remains for American companies. At the same time, Chinese smart terminals and clean energy products require access to American consumers. These mutual dependencies expand the economic pie for both sides.

CHINA-U.S. COOPERATION IS ESSENTIAL FOR GLOBAL STABILITY

Technological cooperation between the world's two largest economies is an imperative driven by shared global challenges.

The recent China-U.S. summit in Beijing was welcomed internationally because, as the saying goes, "When the elephants fight, the grass suffers."

"In an age of artificial intelligence, cyber warfare and nuclear weapons, maintaining channels of cooperation is more important than ever," renowned commentator Fareed Zakaria observed in The Washington Post.

Nowhere is this clearer than in climate. China and the United States must lead together; otherwise, global climate governance risks collapsing, and the Paris Agreement's 1.5-degree-Celsius target will slip out of reach. Yet by combining China's strong clean energy supply chain with American strengths in carbon capture, utilization, and storage technologies and carbon finance, the two countries can overcome technical barriers, lower global transition costs, and help restore international confidence.

Public health offers another area for cooperation. Building on past successes, such as joint efforts against the Ebola outbreak a decade ago, China and the United States can accelerate the development of vaccines and treatments through shared R&D and clinical trial coordination.

SUSTAINING COOPERATION THROUGH MANAGED COMPETITION

The new vision of "constructive strategic stability" in China-U.S. relations points the way forward. Rejecting the "Sputnik moment" framing does not mean eliminating competition. Healthy competition drives progress. The goal should be a form of mutual improvement -- more akin to a track-and-field race than a zero-sum contest. There is no need to panic at another's progress. The purpose of technological advancement is not global dominance, but the shared elevation of human capability.

As the 21st century passes its first quarter, it is time to retire the tired "Sputnik moment" rhetoric. China and the United States can, and should, work together to create what the writer Stefan Zweig called "starry moments for humanity" -- not of rivalry, but of shared achievement, illuminating paths not just for themselves, but also for the world.

Editor's note: The author is a commentator on international affairs, writing regularly for Xinhua News Agency, Global Times, China Daily, CGTN, etc. He can be reached at shaoxia2019@163.com.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Xinhua News Agency.