Since the pingpong diplomacy that initiated the formalization of bilateral ties, Beijing and Washington have often used unofficial channels to communicate their desire to improve relations.

The benefit of such informal contacts is the recipient gets the message but is not obliged to respond, saving both sides from public embarrassment.

Thus, despite it being a nongovernmental organization, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi's video conference with the board of directors of the US-China Business Council on Monday was an opportunity for Beijing to send a message to the incoming US administration.

His message was clear and simple: The initiative to hit the reset button for Sino-US relations lies with the new administration.

Noting that China and the US share broad common interests and room for cooperation, Wang said relations between the two countries can be put back on a healthy and stable track, but only on the basis of mutual respect, non-confrontation and win-win cooperation.

Saying the future of China-US relations hinges on the US making the correct choice and perceiving China in the correct way, he urged the incoming administration to focus on the common interests of the two countries.

He made it clear that Beijing is willing to work with the new administration not only to try to resolve the differences between the two countries, but also to help it tame the novel coronavirus that is raging out of control in the US.

Wang said that despite the competition between the two sides, the US has no grounds to regard China as an ideological enemy and gains nothing by doing so.

The incumbent administration has tried to decouple from China, which has not served the US interests, and not had the desired effects.

Wang said that both sides should strengthen their exchanges and cooperation, and foster mutual goodwill so the two countries can be reliable partners.

In other words, no matter how desperate the incumbent administration tries to smear and pressure China during its final days in office, Beijing regards that as just an abnormality in relations.

It seeks to comprehensively improve Sino-US relations, and hopes that the incoming Biden administration will be able to shrug off the straitjacket the current administration is trying to tie on it.

This should not be taken as gamesmanship on Beijing's part, but rather an expression of its sincere desire that the US will restart dialogue and rebuild mutual trust.

The ball is in the US court.