– In commemoration of the establishment of Sino-US ties 35 years ago
On December 16 (Dec 15 US time), 1978, China and the United States simultaneously announced that they would formally establish diplomatic relations on January 1, 1979. Since then, the relationship between the two countries of totally different social systems has followed a tortuous course featuring contradiction, collision, compromising, cooperation and mutual adaptation.
Amazing changes have taken place in the past 35 years. Where will the Sino-US relationship head to in the next 35 year? That is a question people of both countries and the world hope to find a satisfactory answer to.
Presidents Xi Jinping and Barack Obama held a historic meeting at the Annenberg Estate, California. They exchanged views and reached consensus on the need to establish a new type of relationship between major countries. That signals the beginning of a new stage of development in the bilateral relations.
“No conflict, no confrontation, mutual respect and mutual benefit” make up the main content of the “new type of relationship”. To put these understandings into practice, both countries have got a slew of tasks to accomplish.
First, work towards a new agreement concerning Sino-US relationship. A series of documents were signed at different stages of the development of bilateral relations. The most prominent are the three Joint Communiqués, which are of over-all significance to the development of the Sino-US relationship. Now time has come for the two countries to sign a fourth joint communiqué, the theme of which will be the newly conceived “new type of major-country relationship”. It will define the significance, content and goals of the new-pattern relationship and how it will be built. It will serve as a roadmap for China and the US to develop their relations in the new epoch.
Second, build up and enhance mutual trust. For too long a time, there has been excessive talk about mutual suspicion between China and the US. That mind-set has to be changed. Instead, the Sino-US relationship should be that of partnership, which is based on contemporary concepts about security and obligation-interests relation. Admittedly, serious distrust exists between the two countries and they have different views on many issues. But mutual suspicion has never been the main consideration in either side’s drafting of policies concerning their relations, otherwise the bilateral relationship could not have achieved so much progress as we see today. And trust and distrust are mutually replaceable. According to declassified audio recordings of Richard Nixon, the late US president said when he decided to establish ties with China that “Sino-US relationship is the key to world peace.” It was thanks to a change of the way of thinking that anti-communist Nixon became a pioneer to turn the Sino-US relationship into one of positive interaction.
Third, strengthen the role of economic and trade ties as the stabilizer in the bilateral relationship. It is known to both sides that the two economies are mutually dependent. According to a study hosted by the China-United States Exchange Foundation with participation of specialists and former top-officials from both countries, China and the US will become each other’s largest trade partner 10 years later. By then, the American exports to China will be $450 billion, creating more than 2.5 million jobs for the US. To realize this goal, both sides should work with sincerity and determination and clear away all obstacles to expedite the negotiations for the bilateral investment agreement and explore the possibility of reaching a free-trade agreement.
Fourth, reinforce the security pillar. The Sino-US relationship is like a grand building designed by both countries’ leaders and sustained by the economic foundation. It also needs pillars to ensure safety. These “pillars” are both sides’ mutual trust in the area of security and willingness to increase military exchanges and cooperation. Neither side should take the other as a potential or realistic adversary when drafting the security strategy. They should guard against any third party who, out of its private interests, tries to drag them into disputes over security problems. They should also respect each other’s core interests and major concerns.
It is encouraging that positive signs have emerged in military exchanges between the two countries. To further that momentum, both sides should conduct the security dialogue on higher government levels and explore ways to increase military transparency.
Fifth, create a constructive media environment. Media is the most active part of society. Media’s independence, its influence on society and its role as a watchdog are all necessary. Both China’s and US’ media are playing an indispensable role in the development of bilateral relations. However, there is no denying that the media environment between China and the US is not fair and objective enough. Some media outlets have always fabricated or played up the so-called China threat, US decline and China-US mutual suspicion and confrontation in disregard of facts. Journalists should have conscience and sense of social responsibility. They should play a positive role in protecting sovereignty states’ interests and promote world peace and progress. The new type of major-country relationship between China and the US is in building, during which media is a needed source of positive energy.
There are many things between China and the US that should be done and can be done. But for things that cannot be done or should be prevented, both sides should try to avoid them in tacit agreement.
The first thing that should not be done is exaggerating China’s strength or overstating the US’ decline. China is much weaker than the US, especially in science and technology and in military power. Exaggerating China’s strength will cause China’s growth to be burdened with higher cost, including overdraft of responsibility. Likewise, the media also overstated the weakening of power the US has suffered from the financial crisis and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Such exaggeration is harmful to the US in its effort to revitalize economy. The US has all the conditions for the economic revival. Actually it is on the road to that end. A correct comparison of their strengths is helpful to the building of the new type of relationship between China and the US. China needs to overcome the troubles in its growth; the US needs to get rid of its strategic anxieties.
The second thing they should refrain from doing is finding fault with the other side when handling one’s own problem. Both countries have their own problems. Though many of these problems are correlated and one should have the other’s interests in mind when seeking its own development, the largest challenges for each of the two countries originate in their own concepts and policies and their own motives for development. China and the US should be magnanimous to each other instead of tracing one’s own problem to the other.
Thirdly, neither side should do anything to harm the other side’s sovereignty and safety or interfere in the other’s internal affairs. Regrettably, the US has done too many of this kind of things. American military aircraft frequently carry out reconnaissance flights near China’s airspace; and US Congress often hold hearings on Chinese affairs, where congressmen make irresponsible comments on issues involving China’s core interests. Such acts of interfering in China’s domestic affairs have hurt the feelings of the Chinese people and proved harmful to a healthy development of the bilateral relations.
The fourth thing undesirable is harming the other side’s interests when one tries to develop relations with the other side’s neighbors. Both sides should make their moves more transparent to each other and try not to be hijacked by certain third parties with private motives.
Last but not the least, do not equate “equal treatment” with “equal status”. These are different concepts. The former refers to the attitude and standards one country should follow when dealing with another country. It means all countries, big or small, should treat each other with equality and respect. The latter refers to the two sides’ status on equal footing. China holds that all countries should be respected with regard to the social systems and development models they have chosen and that all countries enjoy equal rights in international affairs, which should be handled with justice and transparency. China does not deny the positive side of the role US has played in shaping and dominating the post-war world order. Some political elites in the US worried that China would seek an equal status as that of the US and share what they think is their country’s exclusive leading role in the world. These worries are groundless. China has neither the need nor the ability to share the US’ status as the leader of the world. What China seeks is justice and equality and a constructive role that is commensurate with its capability.
After 35 years, China-US relationship is entering the stage of maturity. Favorable political, economic, social and cultural conditions are ripe for the two countries to establish a new type of major-country relationship. That’s a great cause. The two peoples will definitely accomplish it.
Chen Yonglong is Director of the US Center of the China Foundation for International Studies.
