Chinese public want reassurance from Obama
- Source: Global Times
- [01:48 January 27 2010]
- Comments
On his first visit to China last November, US President Barack Obama impressed the Chinese public with his charisma and his conciliatory approach toward China.
He told Chinese youths that Americans had much to learn about China. He answered questions from Chinese netizens. And he paid a tribute to Chinese culture and history by walking atop the Great Wall.
That may explain why two months later, many Chinese are surprised by Washington's provocative stance over the Google dispute and China's Internet administration policies, among some other issues. And it would be no exaggeration to say that Obama not stepping forward to "reassure" the Chinese public has disappointed large sec-tions here.
When Obama came to China, the US sought from China "strategic reassurance," a term first used by US Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg while calling upon China to clarify its intentions in key areas.
Now, the boot is on the other foot, and it is the Obama administration that needs to reassure Chinese people about continued pursuit of mutual interests through adoption of a constructive approach for resolving differences between the two nations.
This reassurance would boost Obama's credibility among the Chinese audience that is taking an increasingly rational and harsh attitude toward foreign political celebrities.
Double standards should be shunned. The ground reality and China's rule of law in Internet-related areas need to be respected.
Regardless of whether the Obama administration's hard line is to court voters for the upcoming midterm election, or a sign of Internet freedom becoming a core foreign policy issue, it can strain bilateral relations and harm the interests of people in both countries. The lack of any reassurance on mutual understanding could also damage prospects of Sino-US cooperation on key US strategic issues.
Embraced as a universal value by the Chinese public, Internet freedom has the proven potential to empower civil society with the right to know and more space for grass-roots voices. Yet Internet freedom is relative for countries and cultures. As Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates said Monday, official online censorship in China is "very limited."
Any farsighted politician should strive to find mutually acceptable solutions to problems that arise in the cyber world, based on common interests, shared values and mutual respect.
The cold war mentality of imposing Western values on other cultures in the name of freedom or democracy can no longer succeed.
During his visit to China, Obama stressed the need for a "spirit of equality and mutual respect" when addressing differences between the two nations, as spelled out in the China-US Joint Statement.
Only when that is observed in letter and spirit will the Chinese public feel reassured and be trusting of Obama.
