China and the US are playing nice for now but flashpoints remain. They must agree to peace

The environment in the Asia-Pacific is less alarming than it was a year ago. Washington and Beijing are talking again. So are Canberra and Beijing. The United States is focused, externally, on the Middle East and the Russia-Ukraine war and, internally, on this year's presidential election. China is preoccupied with stabilising and energising its domestic economy. For now Beijing has largely silenced its diplomatic wolf warriors, Washington has been less accusatory and neither side seems in the mood to escalate tensions - over Taiwan, trade or anything else. But none of this is cause for complacency, in Australia or anywhere…