New rules by the United States to restrict travel visas for Communist Party of China (CPC) members and their families have again exposed the sinister intentions of extreme anti-China forces in Washington to hijack China-US relations for their own political gain.

This is the latest move by some US politicians, succumbing to an entrenched yet obsolete Cold War mindset and ideological bigotry, to demonize China and attack the CPC.

Despite Washington's China-bashing campaign, the fact is that China has always adhered to a path of peaceful development. The fundamental goal of the CPC is to enable the Chinese people to lead better lives, an approach that vastly differs from the pursuit of global hegemony by Washington.

Indeed, never has China interfered in the internal affairs of the United States, nor has it exported its development model or engaged in any ideological confrontation.

By hyping up so-called "red scare" in the United States, the true aim of China hawks is to politicize and weaponize ideological differences and hijack China-US relations and American public opinion in order to serve their own agenda.

By imposing visa restrictions on CPC members and their families, these China bashers are attempting to drive a wedge between the Party and the Chinese people.

Yet, as recently put by Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying, "every time the US politicians smear China, the Chinese people become more united, patriotic and sincere in endorsing the CPC leadership."

In recent days, a handful of anti-China politicians in Washington, including US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, staged a final attempt to attack China, including making groundless accusations against China's law on safeguarding national security in Hong Kong, spreading disinformation about so-called "forced labor" in the country in order to punish Chinese enterprises, and defaming China-US educational cooperation.

By relentlessly challenging the bottom line of China-US relations on issues concerning China's core interests, anti-China politicians are not only digging a hole for the next administration's relationship with China, but also eying their own personal political gains.

Fortunately, rational voices coming from the United States exist. Former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger said recently that the incoming US administration should move quickly to restore lines of communication with China that frayed during the current administration. Regarding bilateral relations, the long-time geopolitical expert said that "we must avoid its turning into conflict, and hopefully lead to some cooperative endeavors."

Similarly, Richard Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations, a US think tank, told a virtual panel discussion on Tuesday that "the United States and China need to establish some rules of the road, figure out where we can maintain the possibility of cooperation."

Over four decades ago at the height of the Cold War, leaders of the two countries carried out a handshake across the vast Pacific Ocean, thanks to their joint adherence to the principle of mutual respect while putting aside ideological differences.

Today, China and the United States should also uphold the spirit of non-conflict, non-confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation. The two must focus on managing their differences, with the top priority being a smooth transition toward stronger China-US relations.