"Siamese twins getting a divorce" is how Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Thomas Friedman describes the fracturing China-U.S. relationship. CGTN host Tian Wei spoke to Friedman on the current impasse between China and the U.S.

Friedman is best known for his book "The World Is Flat", where he discusses the benefits of a globalized world. But he is concerned that the current decoupling of China and the U.S. will hurt the world as a whole. He says, "If the world is going to thrive. It can only thrive with maximal China-U.S. collaboration. So much of the global prosperity from 1979 to 2019 was produced by global stability. If we fracture that, we will have a less prosperous and less secure world." Friedman says he doesn't remember a time with less trust between the two largest economies. But he believes that the majority of Chinese and Americans benefit and want collaboration and tourism.

Friedman is critical of the Trump administration's China strategy. He says, "We need a different president with a different security team. We need a president who will continue the traditional approach of building bridges where possible." He asserts that China and the U.S. are too big to contemplate a different strategy. His belief is backed by the huge trade that China and the U.S. still maintain amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. He quips, "They simply cannot get a divorce."

He laments that individuals who share his views of engagement are currently sidelined in Washington. But he believes even a new administration is not enough to fix China-U.S. ties. He argues for something more substantial, "We need a complete overhaul for the 21st century. Right now, our relationship goes back to the Shanghai Communiqué. But China is no longer just selling toys and tennis shoes. They are selling high-tech dual-use technology. We have been operating on fumes for the last 40 years." According to Friedman, simply electing a new president is just the first step to better China-U.S. ties.

World Insight with Tian Wei is an international platform for debate and intelligent discussion. It is the meeting point of both the highly influential and rising voices, facilitated by host Tian Wei. It provides nutrition to form your own thoughts and ideas through a 45-minute live debate and interviews.

Schedule: Monday-Saturday

Time (GMT): 1415, 2015

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