Another area for cooperation is in dealing with militancy and terrorism. If climate change is a threat to our collective future, the moribund notions promoting extremism and militant ideals are a threat to our present.

The threat is pervasive and neither China nor the U.S. is immune. Most of the militancy is emanating from the instability evident in several countries of Asia and Africa. The two immediate flash points are Afghanistan and the Middle East. Beijing has the outreach to play a constructive role in dealing with the twin evils there.

Being a neighbor China has an abiding interest in calming down the Taliban insurgency and eliminating al-Qaeda in Afghanistan. Its position to play a formidable role has been bolstered due to close ties with Pakistan, which allegedly has some "control" over the rebels fighting the government in Kabul.

The United States has a matching influence over Afghanistan, so that meaningful cooperation between China and the U.S. is possible.

The rise of Islamic State and conflict in Syria means the entire region is on a powder keg. The forces of darkness erupting from here are a serious threat to global peace and stability. The migrant crisis makes it more relevant for the Western nations to find a way to address the bloodshed in the Middle East.

China recently was part of the group that negotiated a nuclear deal with Iran. Due to its good ties with Iran and Russia, China is also in a position to play a role in the crisis of Syria. It can also be helpful in dealing with Islamic State controlling vast areas of that country.

President Xi and President Obama can try to build cooperation in these regions. Later on, the collaboration can also go further up to use Chinese ties with Russia to break the logjam in ties between President Putin and the Western world.

The economic sector is the third area where, despite strategic disagreements, there is much room for mutual cooperation. The recent currency devaluation by China and stock market troubles are quite worrying for the world economy. America has trade volume of over US$600 billion with China, which also has heavily invested in the U.S.

The economic ties have steadily grown up despite geo-strategic and political differences, showing that the two powers are mature enough to manage a relationship that is vital but problematic.

The writer is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit: http://www.ccgp-fushun.com/opinion/SajjadMalik.htm

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