Opinion

A big event in Sino-US relations in new era

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-01-17 20:04

WASHINGTON -- 2011, the beginning of the second decade of the 21st century, marks the 40th anniversary of the rapprochement between China and the United States. Timed at this special historic moment, President Hu Jintao's state visit to the United States is not only highly valued by the two countries but catches worldwide attention.

Widely seen as an important arrangement in promoting bilateral relations in the new era, Hu's visit from Tuesday through Friday is expected to effectively boost the development of Sino-US positive, cooperative and comprehensive partnership, improve bilateral practical cooperation, and enhance understanding and friendship between the two peoples. The visit would have a major positive impact on safeguarding world peace and stability and promoting common development.

Special Coverage:  Hu's US Visit

Forty years ago, China and the United States resumed contact, opening a new chapter in their ties. In the past 40 years, the bilateral relations have made considerable strides in all fields. With concerted efforts from both sides, the bilateral relations have seen significant progress in the past two years.

Addressing the Council on Foreign Relations, a US think tank headquartered in New York earlier this month, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said Hu's visit would coincide with the second anniversary of the inauguration of the Obama administration.

In the past two years, the two countries have seen close exchanges and communication at all levels, strong wish and will to enhance cooperation, more interests convergence, wide and deep participation of the two peoples in boosting bilateral ties and communication and coordination on major international and regional issues, unprecedented in all aspects, Yang said.

Former US ambassador to China Stapleton Roy also spoke positively of the development of bilateral relations in the past two years.

Roy, director of the Washington-based Kissinger Institute on China and United States, said: "The relationship between China and the United States over the past two years has continued to be a very vigorous one with engagement at all levels."

Though both countries were affected by the global economic downturn, the economic relationship has continued to be very active, and the two countries have been cooperating in other areas and on many issues, he said.

Take a close look at bilateral economic and trade relations. In the past two years, the two countries have been pulling together to deal with the aftershocks of the international financial crisis and promote global economic governance reform, which played an important role in driving the world economy towards recovery. Bilateral trade is expected to top 380 billion US dollars in 2010 and China has been the fastest-growing market for US products for nine consecutive years.

US Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner has said in testimony before Congress that economic benefits were remarkable in the US-China relations and that the Chinese market was of vital importance to a continuous US economic recovery.

The development of Sino-US relations in the past two years makes it clear that in a globalized world, China, the largest developing country, and the United States, the largest developed country, have tremendous common interests and hold great responsibility of safeguarding world peace and promoting common development. This is the cornerstone of the Sino-US relations in the 21st century.

Therefore, the American public highly values President Hu's visit, regarding it as an important chance for the two sides to boost strategic mutual trust and maintain the positive momentum of bilateral ties.

Zbigniew Kazimierz Brzezinski, former US national security advisor, pointed out in a recent article that President Hu's visit might yield something more than a declaration of mutual respect.

During his visit, the Chinese president is expected to lay out a blueprint for future China-US relations in the new era with President Barack Obama and have an extensive and profound exchange of views with American leaders on issues of common concern.

He is also due to talk with US representatives of all walks of life and give a systemic elaboration on Chinese government's domestic and foreign policies and key stands on developing Sino-US relations in the new era. He would extend his invitations to Americans, especially teenagers, to participate in developing the Sino-US friendship. From the government to civil groups to the business circle, the American side is looking forward to the visit.

Obviously, the Sino-US relations are also bedeviled by some rifts and frictions, some in economy and trade, while others in sensitive issues touching on sovereignty, security and territorial integrity.

As disagreements and frictions on some issues are unavoidable, the key is to view and cope with them properly.

On the one hand, the United States and China have reached consensus -- as bilateral ties are so important, bilateral common interests are far larger than divergence and cooperation is always the mainstream of bilateral relations.

On the other hand, the two nations should deal with differences through equal dialogue and negotiations and intensify risk control. They should not alienate each other because of differences in order to steer bilateral relations in the right direction.

A retrospection of the Sino-US relations tells the fact that exchange of visits between presidents of the two countries, which always serves as the "engine" of bilateral relations, time and again guides and pushes the bilateral ties to further develop.

People have good reason to believe Hu's trip will boost Sino-US strategic mutual trust, advance bilateral practical cooperation in all fields and serve as a new starting point for China-US relations, which will benefit both countries and the whole world.