Obama should desist from needling China

• Source: Global Times
• [03:43 February 02 2010]
• Comments

China voiced a high-pitched protest against the US' latest action of weapon sales to Taiwan, and is considering sanctions against American companies involved in this arms deal.

The US seems to be a little stunned by the stronger than expected response of China this time.

Does the tone and tenor of China's response hint at a change of policy? Washington may rest assured that China's strategy toward the US remains the same. Territorial integration is the bottom line that China would never allow any country to breach.

But the shift in China's attitude suggests two changes that the Obama administration and the Western media may have overlooked.

The first is the changing Chinese public opinion, which long ago got fed up with America's hedging games of diplomatic maneuver.

In recent years, public opinion has been increasingly shaping China's foreign policy strategies, including driving the Chinese government to respond more strongly to the US' provocation.

The second is China's growing power. The Taiwan question best displays the ambiguity of the US' China strategy – that Washington keeps China as its partner and imagined foe at the same time.

This ambiguous strategy worked when China lacked the capability to counter the US. But with China's fast growing strength, the two sides of the strategy constantly clash with each other.

Washington' s China strategy has to take into consideration these two factors.

The US needs to understand that China will not allow its core interests to be violated and the public interest of 1.3 billion people to be dismissed.

Smooth bilateral relations require efforts by both sides. The US cannot expect China to prioritize general mutual interests and put up every time with provocative acts by the US.

China has the capability to respond adequately and it will not hesitate to do so when necessary.

And, at a time when the US expects China to provide assistance with a host of diplomatic issues, it should show respect and sincerity. Needlessly hurting China to appease hawkish interest groups in the US does not look like a wise decision.

With his public ratings on the downtrend, Obama may come up with more initiatives that would be against the interest of China, for example, pushing for appreciation of the yuan or more protectionist policies.

China needs to be well prepared to deal with these when they happen, including launching specific counter measures to demonstrate China's stance.