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In late February, US President George W. Bush made his first trip to Europe since being reelected. It demonstrated to the world the common ground between the United States and its European allies and the "harmony" in cross-Atlantic relations.
However, Bush's trip could not conceal the deep divide between the two traditional allies on a wide range of issues.
The United States and European Union (EU), whose ties were seriously compromised by the Iraq War, have been in a bitter quarrel over the postwar reconstruction of Iraq, the Iran nuclear issue, the Middle East peace process, and the EU's arms embargo upon China.
Besides the deep rift over these political issues, the United States and the EU have also been having an ongoing, sometimes fierce, debate on some high-tech issues, with both sides showing no willingness to compromise.
The EU has already posed an unprecedented challenge to the United States in the fields of aviation and aerospace, ones in which Washington has had an overwhelming superiority for a long time.
Currently in the world's civilian aircraft manufacturing industry, the EU's Airbus and Boeing from the United States are competing fiercely.
To assist Airbus in improving its capabilities in technological research and development, the EU has decided to annually give to the aircraft manufacturer about one-third of its budget for technological development and innovation.
With such massive financial aid, Airbus has already got an advantage over Boeing in terms of developing new types of planes and its share of the world market has also increased.
For example, Airbus took the lead over its competitor in 2003 and 2004 with the number of annual deals.
In 2005, the EU's aircraft maker also became the first to manufacture the world's largest passenger plane, the A380.
Annoyed by such moves, the United States has stepped up its financial assistance to Boeing. It has been putting constant pressure on the EU for it to stop giving subsidies to Airbus' technological innovation and development.
After the EU refused to do so, the United States filed a complaint to the World Trade Organization, demanding the bloc suspend its "unfair subsidy" to Airbus.
In the field of aerospace, the successful launch of Ariane-5 Rocket onto the moon signaled a new breakthrough by the EU in this field, making itself the strongest competitor of the United States in the world's aerospace launch market.
At the same time, EU members have been cooperating to research and develop the Helios II A satellite, a new-generation reconnaissance satellite that can be used in target positioning and information warfare.
The EU's research and development of the new satellites fully demonstrate its intention of improving its common defense ability through high-tech means.
In the field of new energy, the EU has been pushing forward an ambitious plan of electricity generation through applying nuclear fusion technology.
As early as in the 1980s, the European Community began to work in this field and has always taken the lead over other countries.
Currently, the EU, the United States, Russia, Japan, the Republic of Korea (ROK) and China are discussing building an International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER).
So far this multilateral cooperative high-tech project is the world's biggest in terms of cash.
Once completed, it would resolve once and for all the energy shortage that has been plaguing mankind.
Talks about the project have reached an impasse because of different stances among the relevant parties.
The United States, Japan and the ROK propose that the reactor be built in Japan, whilst the EU, China and Russia insist it should be set up in France.
In the field of space navigation technology, the United States and the EU are also competing.
The United States has taken the first step in developing and deploying the Global Positioning System (GPS).
However, the EU's launch of the Galileo system, a satellite-based navigation system, has shown its plan to free itself from excessive dependence upon the United States in this high-tech field.
But the United States has threatened it would possibly knock out the European system in a time of war.
These threats achieved nothing and encouraged China and Russia to participate in the program in a bid to complete it as soon as possible.
The EU's unwillingness to make concessions to the United States in these high-tech fields fully demonstrates its intention of cooperating with its members and trying to become an equal to the United States in the world's political arena.
In fact, the EU has never given up this goal since the launch of the European Retrievable Carrier Project in mid 1980s.
Undoubtedly, US-EU competition in high-tech fields ushers in a new trend in cross-Atlantic Ocean relations.
It will have a profound effect on future Europe-US ties and even ties between the world's major powers.
If some breakthroughs in high-tech fields are made, the EU will inevitably raise its economic and military strength, which will alter its reliance upon the US in defense, and thus give it more of a say in strategy.
For example, the Galileo plan, expected to create a profit of 80 billion euros (US$105.6 billion) for Europe and provide 150,000 jobs between 2008 and 2020, will provide a technological guarantee for the EU for its joint defense system, thus helping form a more independent and powerful bloc.
The EU's cooperation with China and Russia involving the ITEA and the Galileo project will not only help enhance mutual trust between them and expand their common ground, but also help them consolidate their agreement on the establishment of a multilateral world and a new international order.
Delicate psychological changes among the Europeans are expected to happen.
The challenges EU countries pose to the United States and the advantages they enjoy in these fields will help them increase self-reliance and produce a regional identity, thus further pushing forward European integration.
(China Daily March 9, 2005)
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