Editorial: China and US: between love and hate
- Source: Global Times
- [00:35 June 26 2009]
- Comments
When US undersecretary of defense Michele Flournoy said in a news conference in Beijing two days ago that the US doesn’t view China as an enemy, an online survey conducted by the Global Times’ website found that over 90 percent of Chinese respondents didn’t believe this.
It wasn’t a scientific poll, but the suspicion reflects the general mood of the Chinese public toward the country at the other side of the Pacific. “Neither friend nor foe” is also the typical perception of China by Americans.
Don’t expect a love affair between the two peoples. The two countries have different ideologies, clashed in war in the past and are still constantly at odds. Skepticism will continue on both sides. But we have reasons to believe such skepticism may not be turned into antagonism and hijack government policy.
Quarrels between the two governments are nothing new, but in the past, public perception was often impacted by anti-China statements by US politicians. Finger-pointing aroused public anger on both sides.
It’s a good sign that China-phobic statements have lost some of their currency in Washington and have been replaced by more constructive conversations.
Progress can be credited to politicians who have strived to create relations between China and the US that boost economic and social interaction.
Political bickering still breaks out frequently between China and the US, as one side sometimes does something to make the other unhappy. But the danger of a real crisis has been lowered. Consensus has been built that neither side intends to launch a war against the other.
China and the US have made mutual efforts to resolve minor disputes. Over 60 communication mechanisms have been established. Both governments have learned not to let angry domestic sentiment dominate their policy toward one another.
The road ahead will still be tortuous though. When bilateral relations hit the next bump, policymakers and the elite of both countries need to stay patient and keep their confidence in a constructive relationship based on common interest.
Mass media in both countries should be responsible and avoid sensationalizing disputes and distorting the image of either country.
US scholar David Lampton has rightly reasoned that China’s rise is a game for both sides, with the US betting that Chinese leaders are more interested in developing the domestic economy than in engaging in external aggression, while China bets that the US won’t seek to undermine China’s return to power and prosperity.
This principle can also serve as a guideline to build trust between Chinese and Americans.