Before Obama visits China
By Li Hong, People's Daily Online
Frequent top-level mutual visits are in the eyes of varied audience clear yardstick of a growingly cordial and effective nation-to-nation relationship. As more such visits get underway, intentions are no longer kept secret, suspicions are dispersed, disagreements are discussed, and consensus is attained.
The upcoming visit by U.S. President Barrack Obama to China, eagerly anticipated by many, will no doubt upgrade bilateral relationship to a higher land, and the following reciprocating visit by President Hu Jintao to the United States, possible next year, will lift it by another gear. The frequency of top-caliber visits is the crux that decides chemicals between the leaderships, which also has a close bearing on mutual conceptions of the two peoples.
By whatever criterion, Sino-U.S. relationship is among the most important bilateral ties on the globe. It is too pivotal to be derailed by occasional disputes over a small irritant. So, regular meetings between senior officials of the two governments only do good to the two countries, and the Asia-Pacific region as well.
Delivering his first major policy outlines on China months ago, President Obama envisioned an era of "cooperation, not confrontation" for the relationship, which he deemed ought to be "positive, constructive and comprehensive". He said that the relationship between the United States and China will shape the 21st century, "which makes it as important as any bilateral relationship in the world".
The world has seen rising cooperation efforts between the two countries in economic and diplomatic arena to fight global financial crisis, reignite economy, expand trade and resolve regional security issues. However, political and military ties have lagged far behind.
During recent visit to the Pentagon by General Xu Caihou, Vice-Chairman of the Central Military Commission, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates has aired his grievances about the "off-again, on-again" ties between the two armed forces. The secretary is right pricking at the annoyance of intermittent liaison between the brasses, however, he might not accede to why the contact was cut in the first place.
The previous U.S. administration under George W. Bush ratified sales of sophisticated arms systems, worth US$6.5 billion, to Taiwan, despite strong opposition from Beijing and vehement condemnation from Chinese home and abroad. People here have been long cherishing a peaceful reunion of the mainland with Taiwan. And, China has made it known to all that Taiwan is China's core interest, so any arms dealing with Taiwan would be considered brazen trampling on its internal affairs.
Since President Obama was inaugurated early this year, relations have increasingly warmed up. China decided in February to renew military talks with the Pentagon. It is believed that regular meetings between the militaries are conducive to resolving disputes, and will keep any future miniature skirmish from exploding into a big crisis.
However, on nurturing strategic trust, the two countries have a long way to go. Although China has said once and again that its military modernization aims at protecting territorial integrity and ensuring economic advance, while not projecting power abroad, the U.S. pretends it is not hearing it, and keeps second-guessing "Chinese intentions". Perhaps, only growing mutual visits could assuage its obsession of suspecting China.
