It seems like many people who were, and still are, touched by the events of 9/11 and its aftermath have taken the 20th anniversary as an opportunity to reflect on this brazen act of terrorism and its continuing consequences. As someone who was in New York City on that fateful day, Harvey Dzodin, a senior fellow at the Center for China and Globalization, shares with China Daily his reflections on the events of two decades ago.

Harvey says in this age of stark division and continued terrorist acts, to avoid further bloodshed, the US needs to obey international rules and drop its double standard on terrorism. No single nation, or a small group of nations, can successfully defeat this threat to global peace and stability.

"After so many years, so many trillions of dollars down the drain and so much needless death and suffering, you'd think the US would have finally realized those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it," says Harvey.