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At a recent seminar sponsored by China Daily, leading researchers analyzed current Sino-US relations. The following are some of their thoughts:
Sino-US relations have not always been on a smooth development track. Since the end of the Cold War, discussions have continued within the US about the country's policy towards China.
In the early 1990s, the "China's collapse" theory ran rampant in the US, bringing some hardships to Sino-US relations during the first three years of the US administration of former President Bill Clinton.
Beginning in May 1996, the administration realized the importance of a stable Sino-US relationship. However, support for such a viewpoint was based on a very fragile foundation in US society.
During the middle and late 1990s, the "China threat" tone began to sound louder than the "China's collapse" clamor, provoking a new round of heated discussions within the US about its China policy.
Since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the US has altered its perception of China. It has become unanimous that terrorism is now the major security threat to the US.
At the same time, the US also thought it possible to cooperate with China in the fight against terrorists, thus changing its orientation of China ties from a "strategic competitor" to a "constructive partner." Thus, collaboration between the two nations has been further expanded and anti-terrorism and prevention of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction have become a new flashpoint in bilateral cooperation.
With four years passing after 9/11, a new round of discussions in the US about the country's China policy has been launched.
Under such circumstances, a delicate change has emerged in the US administration of President George W. Bush's orientation of Sino-US ties. In their respective interview with the Forbes magazine on May 31 and the New York Times on August 19, Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice both stressed "complications" while recognizing a good Sino-US relationship.
Sino-US relationship is a special bilateral relationship.
The two countries share extensive and far-reaching common interests. Both want to maintain world and regional peace and stability, and strengthen mutually beneficial economic and trade ties. Both advocate anti-terrorism, prevention of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and fight against organized crimes.
At the same time, there are also deep divisions between the two nations on some fundamental issues. They are different in social system and ideology, divergent on the Taiwan question, and in discord on some global and regional strategic issues.
The world's only superpower, the US has always been on high alert against any possible challenge to its established global and regional predominance. It has not yet adapted itself to the rapid increase of China's international influences.
It is an indisputable fact that common interests between the two nations overwhelm their divergences.
With economic globalization increasingly deepening, China and the US have become more and more interdependent and neither can afford to deteriorate bilateral ties.
Sino-US relations are not only inter-government relations, but also relations between societies. The links, exchanges and cooperation between the two have penetrated into various social aspects. Specifically, that the ties between the two nations could survive some hardships should be attributed to their all-inclusive social exchanges.
Domestic politics have been an important factor affecting Sino-US relations.
The citizens of the two nations hold a complicated sentiment towards each other's country. For example, while enjoying cheap made-in-China merchandise, some Americans also express concerns that they would lose some employment opportunities to China.
However, in my eyes, all disputes in Sino-US relations can be managed and kept under control.
The human rights issue acts as a long-term thorny matter in bilateral ties. It caused enormous damage to Sino-US relations in the early 1990s.
However, the pressure the human rights issue has exerted upon the ties has been on the gradual decline since former US president George Bush's administration.
Now some dialogues on the issue have been set up between China and many countries and blocs, including the EU, reducing their misperceptions towards China's human rights conditions and policy. This provides a good example for China and the US to follow.
On bilateral trade disputes, the two countries can still work out ways to erase their discords.
Over the past year, relevant departments from the two countries have strengthened communications and consultations on this issue.
Obviously, the US has gradually emphasized that any unilateral trade restriction, as a double-edged sword, would cause damage not only to the other party, but also to its own consumers.
Through efforts, each of the two nations can also reduce and eliminate their misgivings towards the other within the military field.
In a recent report about China's military power issued by the Pentagon, Washington did not conceal concerns over the country's modernization of its national defense.
However, the US is more than aware of the wide gap in military muscle between China and itself. In fact, currently what concerns Washington is Beijing's military transparency.
At the first "strategic dialogue" held in early August, the two nations had successful talks on many issues of common concerns. Regular dialogues and other forms of exchanges and communications will undoubtedly enhance mutual trust and reduce each other's misgivings.
As the most sensitive and restive issue in bilateral ties, the Taiwan question can also be brought effectively under control if the two nations make joint efforts.
On different occasions, Bush has expressed his opposition to Taiwan leader Chen Shui-bian's "unilateral attempt" to change the island's status quo.
Since the Anti-Secession Law was passed by Chinese legislature, leaders of Taiwan's opposition parties have successively paid visits to the mainland, relaxing tensions across the Straits.
Facing joint efforts from Washington and Beijing to safeguard a peaceful situation across Taiwan Straits, Chen will unavoidably meet numerous hurdles in his pursuit of the island's independence.
We should be optimistic about the advancement in Sino-US relations, and also remain cool-headed towards any possible frictions.
For its part, the US should adapt itself to the fact that China is developing rapidly. And the increasingly bigger role China plays in global and regional affairs should not be interpreted as the country's intention to "remove" the US influence from certain regions.
(China Daily September 14, 2005)
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