China will continue to keep its doors open to the world, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang pledged yesterday, as he described the decline in international cooperation caused by the Covid-19 pandemic as a dangerous trend. Mr Li said the Sino-US relationship was complex but very important, and while friction was unavoidable, both sides should find a way to work together. Associate Professor Li Mingjiang from the RSIS said comments from top Chinese leaders at this year’s legislative meetings indicate that Beijing wants to keep its relationship with Washington from going off the edge. “They are trying to address criticism but at the same time send out signals that they want a stable relationship with the US… they don’t want a Cold War, confrontation or decoupling,” he said.