Analysis: Sino-US ties off to a good start

By Hou Lei (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2009-04-03 15:57

A new "China-US strategic and economic dialogue" announced by Chinese President Hu Jintao and the US President Barack Obama after their first meeting Wednesday signals a good start of Sino-US relations.

The new dialogue, developed from the China-US Strategic Economic Dialogue (SED) which focused on bilateral economy and trade, will address strategic issues in addition to economic concerns.

"Upgrading the dialogue is a good thing for the two countries' relationship. It reflects the Obama administration having a positive attitude towards the Sino-US relationship," Shi Yinhong, a professor of American studies at Renmin University of China, told China Daily Website Thursday.

During the meeting on Wednesday, Obama called the Sino-US relationship "the most important bilateral relations" in the world, while Hu said good relations with the US is beneficial to peace, stability and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region, and the world at large.

On Wednesday, Obama also accepted an invitation from President Hu to visit China in the second half this year.

Obama's upcoming visit is hailed as a good start to the bilateral relations.

"It is very rare that the two countries have a good beginning after a new US president comes into office," said Zhang Guoqing, a researcher on US studies with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences said in a telephone interview with China Daily Website.

"In the past, the relations had to experience a period of 'breaking in' before entering into a normal track following the changing of the US administration. But this time we don't need that period."

Former US President George W. Bush paid an official visit for the first time to China in February 2002, one year after he took office. His predecessor Bill Clinton visited China for the first time in June 1998, five years after he took office.

Zhang gave two reasons for the improved relations: "On the one hand, the Bush administration laid a good foundation for the bilateral relations. On the other, the Obama administration could deal with the Sino-US relationship in a more rational way amid the current global financial crisis."

The bilateral relations have warmed up this year in spite of the skirmish between a US navy vessel and Chinese ships in South China Sea in early March and China's concern over the safety of its US dollar assets. The top diplomats Yang Jiechi and Hillary Clinton have paid mutual visits since Barack Obama took office in January.

As the economy dominates the talks between the two leaders, international security has had less of a priority, but both leaders agree to expand consultations on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, Iran nuclear issue, humanitarian aid to Sudan as well as the situation in South Asia.

China's support has become more and more important for the United States in dealing with international issues. With Kyrgyzstan closing the last remaining US air base in Central Asia, China's function in maintaining stability and reconstruction in Afghanistan has been more important as the focus of the Obama administration’s anti-terrorism policy shifts from Iraq to Afghanistan.

China shares a 76-km-long border with Afghanistan along the Wakhan Corridor. Western media reported in early March that NATO wants China to support its military operation in Afghanistan.

Analysts said that if NATO provides supplies to the allied forces bypass Chinese territory, it could avoid attacks from terrorists in Pakistan.

However, a Chinese official said later that support for NATO effort in Afghanistan is premature now.

Although the two leaders didn't discuss the DPRK's impending rocket launch in the meeting at great length, this issue is not expected to hinder the current bilateral relationship.

"I think the DPRK's rocket launch will not influence the Sino-US relationship too much," Shi told China Daily Website.

China has called on all parties involved to "stay cool-headed and show restraint" at the current stage, according to a regular press conference of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Tuesday.

The DPRK plans to fire a rocket some time between April 4 to 8, which the US, South Korea and Japan believe is a long-range missile test.