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 book talks about 12 Chinese people who had big impacts on U. S. -China relations. These people include scientists, activists, and 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. 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. 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. For example, Xie Xide became a famous physicist. She even cleaned floors during China's Cultural Revolution. Wang Jisi, another person in the book, spent years herding sheep. But he later became a top expert on the U. S. One person who stands out is Ji Chaozhu. He was a diplomat and interpreter. His life shows how U. S. -China relations changed over time. He was sent to the U. S. as a kid. But when he returned to China, he could barely speak Chinese. He worked as an interpreter for important events. Like President Nixon's visit to China in 1972. He stayed loyal to China, even when things were tough. 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.