From Friends to Foes: How U. S. -China Relations Changed Over Time

In the past, the U.S. and China had a different relationship. Back in 2000, the U.S. Congress sent a flag to China. This flag had flown over the Capitol. It was a thank you gift for a Chinese scientist named Xie Xide. She had helped bring the two countries closer together. But times have changed. Today, the relationship between the U.S. and China is much more complicated.

A New Perspective

A new book talks about 12 Chinese people who had big impacts on U.S.-China relations. These people include:

Scientists
Activists
Diplomats

They all had different stories. But they all show how the two countries used to work together. Now, things are not so simple. The U.S. and China are competing with each other. This makes it hard to remember the good times.

Shared Interests

The book's editors, Deborah Davis and Terry Lautz, think the U.S. and China are forgetting their shared interests. They say China's rise as a powerful country made things worse. The U.S. saw China as a threat. China saw the U.S. as a threat too. This made both countries afraid and distrustful of each other. The book tries to show how cooperation can still be good, even with differences.

Notable Stories

The people in the book had different experiences:

Some went to the U.S. during the Cold War.
Others went later, when China was more open.

Their stories show how the U.S. changed them. And how they changed China.

Xie Xide

Became a famous physicist.
Cleaned floors during China's Cultural Revolution.

Wang Jisi

Spent years herding sheep.
Became a top expert on the U.S.

Ji Chaozhu

Diplomat and interpreter.
Sent to the U.S. as a kid.
Returned to China and could barely speak Chinese.
Worked as an interpreter for important events.
Loyal to China, even when things were tough.

The Future

The book ends with a question: Who would they profile now, in this time of rivalry? It's a good question. The U.S. and China need to find a way to work together again. But it won't be easy. The past shows how things can change. And how people can make a difference.