Though both sides have been cautiously optimistic about building a new type of relationship, they cannot rule out the emergence of difficulties in the future because of the impact of some stereotype ideologies, political and cultural differences, clash of realistic interests and values, and more importantly, Washington's obsession with Cold War mentality and hegemonic strategy.
Zbigniew Brzezinski, security adviser to former US president Jimmy Carter and a celebrated American strategist, has emphasized that constructive mutual interdependence between China and the US was important for global political and economic stability. He said that Sino-US relations should develop into a global partnership like the one the US has with Europe and Japan.
Recently, Brzezinski said Sino-US ties will improve only after both countries made it clear that they will not pursue hegemony and recognize the role the other has played in global affairs.
US leaders have repeatedly said relations between Beijing and Washington will stabilize further - and they could even become true partners - if China abided by international rules and acted as a responsible power. However, successive US administrations have failed to respect the authority of the United Nations Charter drafted by the US' own presidents Franklin Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman.
Which one should China abide by, the UN Charter or the "international rules" that some US presidents have devised to "overrule" the Charter? The US has often said that some countries' leaders have lost the legitimacy to rule and hence should quit or be removed. Should China follow such policies to promote change of regimes to humor Washington?
The US rebalancing to Asia policy, which shifts its strategic focus to the Asia-Pacific, is aimed at boosting its military presence in the region. The fact is that Washington has long enjoyed absolute dominance in the region and its attempt to consolidate its position points to just one thing, that it is worried about the declining influence.
Washington believes that its waning influence would weaken its capability to intervene in other countries' internal affairs and thus the new policy thrust.
The US is an established world power with much greater influence than China. Since the ball is in its court now, it has to take the initiative to build a new type of relationship with China.
The author is executive director of the Strategy Research Center of China International Studies Research Fund.
(China Daily 01/17/2013 page9)
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