Wen's US visit a window of opportunity ( 2003-12-08 09:23) (China Daily HK Edition)
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's upcoming journey to the US will provide a window
of opportunity for both sides.
From December 7 through 16, the premier will pay his first official visit to
the United States, Canada, Mexico and Ethiopia, where he is scheduled to
participate in the opening ceremony of the Second Ministerial Conference of the
China-Africa Co-operation Forum.
Obviously, it is the United States, of all four countries, that will be the
highlight of the premier's foreign journey, especially with the two big countries
having a tug-of-war over bilateral trade and the revaluation of the Chinese
currency, let alone the Taiwan question. The Taiwan authorities, despite
Beijing's strong opposition, passed a law on referendums on November 27 that has
made cross-Straits ties more tense and complicated.
Wen's trip to the US has become the focus of media attention both at home and
abroad. An article headlined After Year of Crises, Chinese Premier Faces Trade
War?in The Wall Street Journal of November 28 said that Wen is about to face one
of his toughest challenges yet: winning over the US?
A paper even compared Wen's US visit with his predecessor's American journey
in April 1999, during which the former Chinese premier failed to reach agreement
with the Clinton administration on China's entry to the World Trade
Organization, which, coupled with the bombing of the Chinese Embassy in
Belgrade, worsened Sino-US relations.
However, the substantive context of the relationship between China and the
United States today is quite different from that of yesterday; bilateral
co-operation has deepened immensely and covers vaster fields ranging from
high-level exchanges, trade and economy, counter-terrorism and nonproliferation,
security and military, to science and technology, culture and education.
On September 9, US Secretary of State Colin Powell said with great confidence
that the current status of US relations with China are the best they have been
since President Nixon's first visit? Such an evaluation, arguable as it is,
represents the mainstream in today's US; it also reflects the overall picture of
the relationship.
In fact, Sino-US relations are maturing after many ups and downs since 1972,
especially since the ?/11?terrorism attack. Wen's visit to the US may further
strengthen bilateral ties if both sides handle it from a long-term perspective.
High-level visits by Chinese and US officials are more frequent, and their
significance more profound than symbolic. From the Chinese perspective, it
attaches great importance to its relations with the US. Since the new national
leadership took office in March, President Hu Jintao has made only two foreign
trips, and on both trips he met President Bush, first in Evian on June 1, then
on October 19 in Bangkok. Was it a coincidence? Observers in the know reveal
that when the two presidents met the second time in Bangkok, they showed greater
familiarity towards each other and touched on sensitive topics, including Taiwan
and the Chinese currency.
So far, Wen has made only three trips out of China, all to participate in
international conferences, not official visits. However, at the invitation of
Bush, Wen will make his first official visit to the US and will be only the
fourth head of a foreign government to be welcomed by President Bush at the
South Lawn of the White House with a 19-gun salute.
Besides all the hospitality accorded to a foreign dignitary, what will be on
the agenda?
From the Chinese side, the Taiwan issue will be number one. Most recently,
the mainland has been on a high alert on separatism by Taiwan authorities,
especially in the form of referendum, constitution amendment, transit diplomacy
or Money diplomacy by Chen Shui-bian.
On November 21, Wen, in an interview with Leonard Downie, executive editor of
the Washington Post, reiterated the Chinese stance on upholding the one-China
principle. He said that the Chinese people would not sit by and do nothing
towards deliberate provocative moves aimed at splitting China. Soon, Richard
Boucher, the US State Department spokesman, stated that he would be opposed to
any referenda that would change Taiwan's status or move towards independence. He
also said that the US takes Chen Shui-bian's Four No pledge in 2000 very
seriously?
Well, what the Chinese side wants is not only words, but also deeds. During
Wen's visit, he will restate the Chinese position and make American leaders
recognize the gravity of Chen Shui-bian's true intentions, and ask the US to
take practical measures that are conducive to maintaining peace and stability in
the Taiwan Straits.
Actually, it is in the fundamental interests of the US and conducive to the
development of Sino-US relations and cross-Straits stability if the US
Government abides by the principles of the three Sino-US joint communiques and
stops sales of sophisticated weapons to Taiwan at this sensitive time. Wen
should continue to convey these messages to the American side.
Bilateral trade and revaluation of the Chinese currency will also be on the
top of agenda. With a general election next year, the US has unilaterally
initiated a trade war with China by imposing quotas on Chinese garments and
proposing new tariffs on television sets and iron pipe fittings a few weeks
before Wen is to arrive in the US.
In such a charged atmosphere, it would be all the more necessary for Wen to
inform the American business community as well as the Bush administration of the
Chinese standpoint:
First, Sino-US trade and economic relations create win-win situations.
Bilateral trade has increased 40-fold during the past 25 years. It has become an
important component of China-US relations and brought substantial benefits to
the peoples of both countries. China has become the fastest growing export
market for the US, with US exports to China increasing by 25.7 per cent during
the first 10 months of this year.
Second, understandably and predictably, the development of China-US trade
ties have sometimes set off disputes. Whether they will exacerbate the bilateral
relationship depends largely on how they are reviewed and handled. Trade
disputes should be settled through dialogue and consultation conducted on an
equal footing. Unilateral action is not constructive or conducive to their
resolution.
The Chinese side understands the US concern over the trade imbalance, and a
basically balanced trade relationship can and should be achieved in the course
of development. There exists huge potential in this field because the economies
of China and the US mutually complement each other. The sustained growth of
China's economy will provide the US with more business opportunities. China will
continue to take measures to expand its imports from the US, and the US should
grant China market-economy status and lift restrictions on exports to China.
Issues ranging from the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, anti-terrorism and
none-proliferation will also be discussed during Wen's talks with his American
hosts.
