South China Morning Post
2012-02-16
Insight
Hu Shuli says Xi Jinping’s visit to America should further the countries’ mutual understanding and strengthen their resolve to settle disputes amicably
The first stop of Vice-President Xi Jinping’s current tri-nation tour – the United States – is also the one that has drawn the most attention. One reason is, of course, that the visit comes in a year of leadership changes in both countries, and will be closely watched for signs of developments to come.
Ahead of Xi’s trip this week, the Chinese foreign ministry highlighted both countries’ commitment to strong relations. Elsewhere, commentators say the trip will not only set the tone for future relations, but also provide a chance to develop deeper and broader mutual understanding.
The striking impression of Xi’s itinerary in America is that he is out to make and keep friends. One interesting meeting is with a group of farmers in Iowa he befriended in 1985 when he was party secretary of Zhengding county in Hebei . Undoubtedly, the reunion was set up to emphasise Xi’s friendship with ordinary folk. The vice-president is also, of course, expected to meet extensively with those in US political and business circles.
In the 27 years since 1985, both China and the US have changed dramatically, and so has the world. Mutual understanding has gradually deepened, and Xi’s efforts on this trip will build the foundation for the further development of ties.
The visit will also allow Americans to get to know Xi, and to get to know China better. Xi was born in 1953 and, like the other political leaders of his cohort, was among the group of teenagers whose studies were disrupted by the outbreak of the Cultural Revolution. Their youth was spent in turbulent times, with the world in the midst of a cold war and China in the grip of ultraleftist fervour. The suffering of those years has marked their lives. Then, as they grew into their prime, China began to open up, and they began their political careers shaped by the drive for reform.
Their experience made this cohort of Chinese leaders pragmatic, level-headed, open and flexible. These traits will have a bearing on future Sino-US relations.
Xi’s visit to the US recalls the visit by Hu in April 2002 when he was still vice-president. The two trips share many similarities. Such visits by a Chinese leader-in-waiting have become a feature of the bilateral relationship, and they play a key role in keeping relations on an even keel. The relationship has been through many ups and downs over the past decade, but, overall, the strategic co-operation between the two has continued to deepen and broaden.
This year marks the 40th anniversary of president Richard Nixon’s landmark visit to China, which ushered in the normalisation of bilateral relations. A man at 40, Confucius says, is mature and has sound judgment. In the same way, maturity and stability are now the hallmarks of Sino-US relations. This has been true in the main.
This doesn’t mean that there have been no disputes or conflicts. Rather, it means that in the event of any differences, contradictions or even an outright clash, the two countries can find ways to work things out instead of resorting to a damaging confrontation.
Both sides should realise that the simplistic cold-war thinking of “friend or foe” no longer applies today. Our mutual interests are bound together in this complex relationship.
To many people in both countries, China and the US are strategic rivals. This view persists because both countries are at very different stages of development and, accordingly, have different strategic priorities – one is a superpower keen to protect what it has, and the other is a rising power eager to grow. The differences in culture, political thought and history are also substantial. These factors can easily lead to misunderstanding, miscommunication and misjudgment. But, so far, both countries have found more room, not less, to co-operate.
The idea of a G2 for the 21st-century world may be an exaggeration, but the continuing collaboration of the world’s two biggest economies is undoubtedly the cornerstone for a stable global economy. To a large extent, the international order will be shaped by Sino-US ties, the world’s most important bilateral relationship.
Many issues continue to be troublesome: the renminbi exchange rate, the return of America to Asia and the US arms sale to Taiwan. Most recently, China’s veto of the UN resolution on Syria also sparked dispute. These flashpoints have cast a shadow over Xi’s visit. Especially in a US election year, China will be a focus of America’s media and public opinion.
But problems create the need for resolution, and only through dialogue can both countries understand each other’s concerns and how solutions could be developed. The past 40 years of relations have shown that disputes aren’t necessarily a problem; more crucial is the attitude to those disputes. If both sides could discard the vestiges of a cold-war mindset, their zero-sum mentality and their conspiracy theories, then every deadlock can be broken, and every barrier overcome.
The Sino-US relationship is a relay, not a sprint. It’s unrealistic to expect total harmony, but the good news is that the capacity of both countries to deal with differences is continuously being raised. At the same time, the need is now greater than ever that the two should find a strategic balance. Under the care of a new generation of leaders, this relationship must grow more mature and more stable.
This article is provided by Caixin Media, and the Chinese version of it was first published in Century Weekly magazine. www.caing.com
