The attempt alone reduces risk of extinction from each of their advantages.
Perkovich 22 – Chair & V.P. for Studies focusing on non-proliferation and nuclear strategy, Carnegie Endowment for Int’l Peace George Perkovich, prominent scholar on non-proliferation, and has extensively advised the U.S. and other governments and internat’l organizations on nuclear proliferation issues for decades, and Pranay Vaddi, Fellow in the Nuclear Policy Program, CEIP, Ph.D., University of Virginia, “Engaging China on Strategic Stability and Mutual Vulnerability,” October 2022, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, https://carnegieendowment.org/files/Perkovich-Engaging_China.pdf
If China and the United States can sustain such a process of serious dialogue, they will keep their relationship from worsening even if they cannot formally restrain their competition. And if dialogue leads one to ask the other for deeds to demonstrate goodwill, the paper has suggested some that could be undertaken with no security hazard and only slight political risk. No one should have the illusion that happiness is in this couple’s future. All this work would be to allow a non-violent cohabitation that is better than the alternative of destitute divorce or murder-suicide.