The strategic dialogue between China and the United States this
week will help increase mutual trust and narrow differences,
leading to a healthy development of bilateral ties, Chinese
observers have said.
The fourth round of the dialogue, to be held on June 20-21 in
Washington DC, will be co-chaired by Deputy Foreign Minister Dai
Bingguo and US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte.
The dialogue mechanism helps high-level diplomats from the two
countries have frequent contact and creates a close working
relationship, which is conducive to guiding the direction of
overall relations, Sun Zhe, a professor at the Center for American
Studies at Shanghai-based Fudan University, said in an
interview.
"But we can't expect such meetings to produce solutions to
specific problems between the two countries," Sun added.
Topics are not designated and the two sides can discuss and
exchange views on any bilateral, regional or global issues of
interest.
However, some issues are sure to figure, said Tao Wenzhao, a
researcher on American studies at the Chinese Academy of Social
Sciences.
"China is likely to raise its concerns over the Taiwan question
with the election of the island's 'president' scheduled next year.
Also, given the fact that Taiwan leader Chen Shui-bian is still
attempting to revise the island's 'constitution', no one can expect
what will happen," Tao said.
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"The US, on its part, will surely seek support from China in
resolving the Iranian nuclear standoff and the Darfur issue," he
added. "Besides, considering the Pentagon released a report on
China's military recently at a time when the US is trying to deploy
strategic missiles in Eastern Europe, the two sides are likely to
hold discussions on their strategic purposes and interests."
According to Sun, the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue is also
likely to be raised as North Korean funds frozen in a Macao bank
are reported to have been transferred to Pyongyang which could lead
to progress in the six-party talks on denuclearizing the Korean
Peninsula.
The strategic dialogue comes less than a month after the second
round of the China-US strategic economic dialogue held in
Washington. It is also taking place at a time when a group of US
senators are mulling legislation this week to press Beijing to
revalue its currency more quickly, and thus make its exports more
expensive.
Sun said, under the Strategic Dialogue, exchanges and dialogue
between parliaments, defense departments, environment agencies and
even think tanks from the two countries should be strengthened to
help solve specific problems existing between the two sides.
The semi-annual strategic dialogue, agreed upon by President Hu
Jintao and his US counterpart George W. Bush at the 2004 APEC
Meeting, was inaugurated in 2005 by Dai and former US Deputy
Secretary Robert Zoellick in Beijing. The last round was held in
Beijing last November.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang told a press conference last
week the two sides will have an in-depth exchange of views on major
issues.
(China Daily June 19, 2007)
