|
Opinion: China policy volatile in US election
By Yuan Peng (China Daily)
Updated: 2004-07-28 11:28
With the lead up to the US presidential election hitting fever pitch, Chinese
are becoming increasingly concerned about whether Washington's China policy will
be used for political gain or whether some conservative forces in the United
States will instigate a new anti-China campaign.
Raising these two questions seem particularly natural for the Chinese who
have followed the past two decades of US presidential campaigning.
Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the United
States in 1979, it has become common practice for the Republican or Democratic
presidential candidate to severely criticize the China policies of the incumbent
government when the two parties are struggling for power.
In the 1992 election, Democratic candidate Bill Clinton reproached Republican
President George Bush for the latter's efforts to be on "friendly terms" with
China.
Eight years later, Bush's son, George W. Bush, as the Republican candidate,
lashed out at the Clinton administration for its "appeasement" towards Beijing,
which Bush said remained as Washington's largest strategic competitor.
It is also very common for other topics, such as China's so-called
"involvement in US political endowment" and "spying" on the United States, to be
regarded as effective weapons for one party when attempting to derail its
political foes during an election.
Thus, it is not strange that Washington's policy towards China usually falls
victim to electioneering. As a result, Sino-US bilateral ties suffer.
In fact, the "China symptom" has developed into an incurable ailment for the
United States during its presidential elections.
It is sure to happen again this year, but with some differences.
Most Americans have centred their political concerns on the Iraq issue, the
domestic economic situation and related issues, such as the war on terrorism,
the Korean Peninsula nuclear situation, foreign policy towards Iran, reduction
in taxes, employment and homosexuality.
Polls have shown that the Iraq issue, counter-terrorism and a domestic
economic recovery are the top priorities, which will undoubtedly help dilute
citizens' concern about China-related issues.
With more than 30 years of development since diplomatic normalization,
Sino-US bilateral ties, consolidated by recent co-operation on anti-terrorism
and the Korean nuclear issue, are now in a comparatively good shape.
In recent years, China has accomplished remarkable progress both politically
and economically, leaving little excuse for the United States to ideologically
assault China. This "positive factor" in Sino-US relations has seldom been seen
in past US election years.
However, that does not mean that no major friction exists between the two
countries, or that the Bush administration's policy towards China is accepted by
its domestic opposition.
With the presidential struggle drawing nearer, Sino-US disputes in the
following fields may be highlighted.
The US trade imbalance with China will possibly be utilized by the Democrats
to lash out at the Bush administration.
According to the latest US statistics, the US trade deficit with China is as
much as US$124 billion. The Democratic Party, which represents the lower and
middle classes in the United States, has expressed dissatisfaction towards the
huge imbalance, and accuses President Bush of getting anti-terrorism assistance
from China by sacrificing domestic economic interests.
At the same time, the revaluation of China's currency, its trade policy and
the treatment of its labour force may possibly become targets of attack due to
the bad prospects for employment in the United States.
The Taiwan question still remains as the bone of contention between the two
nations.
If the cross-Straits situation further deteriorates, it is expected that the
different stances between the two parties in the United States will push the
Taiwan question further into the spotlight during election campaigning.
China's military modernization is likely to become a topic for mutual attack
during the election.
In the opinion of US rightist forces, China has injected a lot of money it
has earned from trading with Washington into its military upgrade.
With the European Union wanting to suspend its arms sales ban on China, the
United States is embroiled in discussion over whether it should reconsider a new
sanction against Beijing.
In addition, the United States' reaction to China's rising influence in the
international community and how the two nations can maintain a beneficial
strategy in the Asia-Pacific region have also become hotly debated over the past
year.
Well known for its long-held tough policy towards China, the Bush
administration has based its China concept on its belief that China remains as
Washington's "strategic competitor."
Despite its tangible co-operation with China on anti-terrorism and efforts to
defuse the nuclear stalemate on the Korean Peninsula, the Bush administration
has not fundamentally changed its policy of attaching importance to US allies,
supporting Taiwan and holding misgivings towards Beijing.
Different from Bush, Democratic candidate John Kerry has been friendly
towards China. He can comprehend China's increased influence in Asia and
globally.
It is Kerry's opinion that the US should fully back the one-China policy and
oppose "Taiwan independence." He strongly advocates the United States looking at
its common interests as well as conflicts with China in a rational way.
But that does not mean the United States will automatically change its
Chinese policies and improve its relations with Beijing if Kerry becomes
president.
Representing the middle and lower classes, Kerry, if he succeeds, will
possibly step up efforts to solve the US trade imbalance with China - a highly
complicated issue.
The Taiwan question, under a Kerry administration, will still be the
fundamental obstacle to improved Sino-US relations.
It is expected that the Republican-controlled Congress will force the
Democratic administration into concession on the one-China policy and the US'
arming of Taiwan, thus creating a bigger obstacle to the Chinese mainland's
settlement of the question.
Despite its negative policy towards China, the Bush administration has put
Sino-US relations on a track of normal development through four years of
engagement.
In the long run, a US pursuing international co-operation and multilateralism
will be more beneficial to world peace and Sino-US relations.
(The author is a researcher at the China Institute of
Contemporary International Relations.)
| |
 |
|
|
|
|
Today's
Top News |
|
|
|
Top China
News |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
