On Monday, China’s state-run Xinhua News Agency fired back with a commentary condemning the “narrow nationalism and ignorance” displayed by U.S. politicians who oppose the Chinese-made uniforms and citing the importance of “the Olympic Spirit, which has nothing to do with politics” but is instead about “mutual understanding and fair play.”

Cheap and irresponsible China-bashing is counterproductive to the long-term American strategy because it is sure to inflame Chinese nationalism, a powerful emotional force that could be deftly exploited by the ruling Communist Party. When the Chinese media plays up such anti-China rhetoric coming from America’s most powerful politicians, one can bet that it will elicit instinctive anti-American feelings from ordinary Chinese.

I am thrilled that the Women in Public Service Project, which we launched in Washington in December, has tapped such a deep vein of enthusiasm for expanding the number of women answering the call to public service around the world.

What Nike and Ralph Lauren don’t do is make their own products in the U.S. or elsewhere – and this has become their competitive advantage...So let’s stop whining about a few “made in China” tags and start cheering for all of the great athletic performances made possible by superior U.S. innovation.

American business has enormous influence all over the world. It is a pace setter. Yet even so in almost every case, apart from aeroplane manufacturing, local companies are usually the mainstay of their economies...American Soft Power certainly exists and I think much of it is welcome whilst much of it is dross. Let us keep it in proportion.

U.S. diplomats have boosted their public diplomacy through social media. The U.S. government has an active presence on Chinese social media sites; many U.S. officials in China have individual Weibo pages, and the embassy in Beijing and consulate departments update their own sites with remarks by American officials, press releases and videos.

Perception matters in international diplomacy, and even more so for the U.S.-China relationship. There are vast differences in political systems and institutions, social norms, historical and cultural legacies, and the ever-present information asymmetry. Mutual perceptions can get easily skewed, with real repercussions for policy. Though the U.S.-China relationship has proven surprisingly resilient, it is also colored by an unspoken unease, especially among elites in both countries.