President Barack Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao are pushing for strong partnerships on climate change and economic matters, but are addressing key differences on Iran, trade imbalances and human rights as the commander-in-chief wraps up his three-day visit to the nation. As the world’s last remaining superpower, the United States is increasingly involved in partnering with China on international matters.
The Asian nation’s economy is booming though many developed countries are still struggling with their economic recoveries. The Chinese citizenry are experiencing higher living standards and the nation is strengthening its military, leading many to view China as America’s only potential rival.
However, President Obama doesn’t see it that way. “Our relationship has not been without disagreement and difficulty, but the notion that we must be adversaries is not predestined,” said Obama as he addressed students in a Shanghai town hall meeting.
The president is also in China to reassure them to continue to purchase vast amounts of U.S. Treasury bonds. America imports billions of dollars of products from China annually, while the treasury bonds China buys help finance America’s budget deficit. China also needs to continue buying treasury bonds to maintain the stability of the falling U.S. dollar, otherwise the value of China’s foreign currency holdings will drop dramatically.
This mutual beneficiary system allows the two nations to coexist if only on a business level and stresses their interdependency.
Chinese President Jintao also addressed trade issues between the two nations. Earlier this year, the Department of Commerce placed tariffs on multiple imported Chinese goods, such as tires, whose manufacturers were said to have engaged in unfair trade activities.
In response, China launched an inquiry into American exports such as autos, and is currently questioning the validity of the bailout program. Jintao told the media, “that under the current circumstances, our two countries need to oppose and reject protectionism in all its manifestations in an even stronger stand.”
The two leaders also discussed taking a stronger role on Iran’s nuclear program. A recently revealed Iranian uranium enrichment site is believed to be active. The site is too small for civilian use for nuclear power, but is suitable and able to create nuclear bombs within a year.
President Jintao said his country will look into further negotiation and prodding. Meanwhile, President Obama also used the platform to push China to talk with the Dalai Lama and other Tibetan leaders. Obama recognized that China views the territory as its own and not a sovereign nation and even blocked a visit to the U.S. by the spiritual leader earlier this year, but said that the Chinese should resume dialogue and resolve their differences.
As the presidents discussed further cooperation on climate change ahead of a major international meeting in Copenhagen in December, the meeting has been viewed as an overall success.
Jintao said, “The talks were candid, constructive and very fruitful,” while Obama said the current and future U.S. – Chinese relations “will not be without disagreement or difficulty, but because of our cooperation, both the United States and China are more prosperous and secure.”
However, some Americans are still wary of the Chinese. A recent CNN/Opinion poll found that a majority of Americans said China is a military threat to the United States. According to the poll, 51 percent said the Asian nation is a threat, while 47 percent disagree. The survey also reported that two-thirds of Americans believe China provides unfair competition for U.S. companies and is doing a bad job on human rights.
“I don’t know if [the U.S. and China] necessarily have a good relationship,” said Rochelle Smith, a sophomore legal communications major. “If the relationship goes bad, where would the U.S. be?”
She believed the high stakes involving both nations hold their relations together well, but does not think it’s a healthy partnership overall.
President Obama leaves China tonight and is headed to South Korea. There, the president will be in Seoul to meet with President Lee Myung-Bak and aims to strengthen bilateral ties and progress on the denuclearization of North Korea.
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