The U.S.-China relationship is simply too consequential to be allowed to falter and fail. The cost of mishandling it would be enormous, if not disastrous, for all. Holding the relationship together requires political and policy imagination, as well as active, sustained engagement through public diplomacy.

The steadily downward trend in Sino-American relations was to be at least partially halted as a result of geopolitical and political developments, two in particular. The first was the fact that the 1960s had seen a major falling out between the Soviet Union and China. [...] The second development was the accession to office in Washington of Richard Nixon and of his National Security Adviser Henry Kissinger.

China has been making major efforts to increase its ability to influence other countries without force or coercion. [...] China has emphasized its cultural and economic strengths, but it has paid less attention to the political aspects that can undermine its efforts.

In June, the Chinese Ministry of Culture blacklisted 38 Japanese anime and manga from distribution in China. [...] However, in the hearts and minds of Chinese fans of Japanese anime, the Great Firewall of China is acting a little too late. 

The U.S. Department of State praised the Carnegie tour as an important "cultural pillar"  for the two countries. Dignitaries from China and the United States attending the banquet included former U.S. Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger, Carnegie Hall Executive and Artistic Director, Clive Gillinson and renowned composer, Tan Dun.

First introduced by then-Vice President Xi during a state visit in 2012, the NTGPR framework has since come to dominate Chinese public diplomacy towards the United States. Like the “China Dream” and “One Belt, One Road,” the “new model” of Sino-American relations occupies an important ideological space for the Party’s 5th generation leadership. 

“When Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on his 60th birthday on his Sina Weibo account on Wednesday (July 1), he once again showed the high value he attaches to diplomacy through social media accounts,” the Global Times stated.