Part Eight: Sino-US Relations

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Part Eight Sino-US Relations

• Sino-US relations
• Ever since the reconciliation in the 1970s, the
  relationship between China and the United States
  has always been in the process of transformation.
  
• It means that the main pushing power that
  promotes the development of Sino-U.S. relations
  and major contents of the bilateral relations
  have been changing all the time.
• Up to now, the two countries relations have
  roughly undergone two important transformations
  and it is transforming into a new stage.

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Part Eight Sino-US Relations

• Sino-US relations
• Sino-U.S. relations is an extremely special
  bilateral relations in the past 50 years of
  international relations. 
• first of all, it is hard for the two countries
  to find some other important common points other
  than super giant states.  For example, the two
  countries are at different social development
  stages, have sharply contrasting cultural
  backgrounds, with different systems that are
  difficult to pick up, have a great disparity over
  respective national strength and contrasting
  ideologies, etc.

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Part Eight Sino-US Relations

• Sino-US relations
• The second reason is that the two countries
  relations have undergone a unique development
  process since Mao Zedong and Nixon opened the
  gate for reconciliation of China and the United
  States in 1972 at first, strategic cooperation
  was formed against common threat while were
  lacking in inner demands. 
• During the process of strategic cooperation,
  inner-driving force of developing bilateral
  relations gradually emerged.  After that began a
  process of pursuing strategic partnership on a
  new basis, which by now has roughly undergone two
  stages.

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Part Eight Sino-US Relations

• Sino-US relations
• The first transformation expands from 1972 to the
  end of the Cold War.  Past studies have fully
  demonstrated that during this period, major
  driving force for China and the United States
  abandoning confrontation and coming up with
  reconciliation is their common interest of
  countering Soviet Unions expansion and putting
  an end to the Indo-China War.
• However, two issues were overlooked, which later
  developments proved that their impact is great
  and long lasting.

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Part Eight Sino-US Relations

• Sino-US relations
• One is about the role and limits of security
  strategic relations.  In early 1970s, in view of
  security strategy, Chinese leaders made the
  decision of reconciliating with the United
  States.  Yet, readjustment of policy towards the
  US ran in an opposite direction with the domestic
  ultra-Left policies.  American leaders placed
  security strategy on the first agenda as well. 
• They even did not consider whether Sino-U.S.
  relations exist some inner value that is not
  subjected to strategic relations.  Facts show
  that common strategic interest only promoted
  détente of Sino-U.S. relations, while the
  normalization of Sino-U.S. relations is closely
  connected with Chinas decision of reform and
  opening up to the outside world.  Such is
  completely synchronizing concerning time period.

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Part Eight Sino-US Relations

• Sino-US relations
• The other related issue is that, when China and
  the United States were moving towards
  reconciliation, the supporting forces within
  respective society were too fragile. That is why
  both sides had to take measures shaping positive
  images foe each other so as to make the other
  side at least look acceptable to the domestic
  public.  Such acts, combined with the inevitable
  shocks arising from Sino-U.S. cooperation,
  created unrealistic fantasy and too high
  expectations for the other side, making people
  falsely believe that common interest on security
  strategy is sufficient to sustain an everlasting
  Sino-U.S. relations. 

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Part Eight Sino-US Relations

• Sino-US relations
• The bearing power of such a state of mind was so
  weak that it intensified misunderstandings and
  hostility at the time of Sino-U.S. relations
  taking a turn for the worse.  Up till now, such
  an imperfect state of mind is continuing
  influencing peoples understanding of Sino-U.S.
  relations
• The second transformation began from the end of
  the Cold War and lasted to now.  The biggest
  shock to Sino-U.S. relations brought by the end
  of the Cold War is the smash of the strategic
  base that supported Sino-U.S. relations. 

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Part Eight Sino-US Relations

• Sino-US relations
• For a time, Sino-U.S. relations was as if a ship
  losing its compass, drafting with the tide in a
  stormy sea.  At that time, the problem facing the
  two countries was, with the cover of strategic
  relations being lifted all of a sudden, problems
  in the bilateral relations protruded immediately
  and became critical factors determining the
  future of Sino-U.S. relations.
•  Normal development of Sino-U.S. relations
  depends on whether both sides would be able to
  solve differences exposed in bilateral relations
  under the situation that bases have been
  seriously crippled and cast a new base for
  Sino-U.S. relations at the same time.

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Part Eight Sino-US Relations

• Sino-US relations
• Problems in Sino-U.S. relations can be roughly
  divided into three categories. 
• The first category involves problems that concern
  Chinas sovereignty and territory such as Taiwan
  and Tibet, among which Taiwan issue is of the
  greatest representation.  Taiwan issue once led
  to a drastic slide back of Sino-U.S. relations in
  summer of 1995 and military confrontation arose
  in spring of 1996. 
• The second category goes to ideological conflict,
  with the central issue was human rights at the
  time.  It has been seriously restrained the
  improvement of Sino-U.S. relations and affected
  Sino-U.S. relations in all aspects on a deep
  level. .

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Part Eight Sino-US Relations

• Sino-US relations
• The third category is frictions over economy,
  trade, and value of currency.
• intellectual property right was of the most
  representation that has many times pushed China
  and the United States to the brink of a trade
  war. 
• Bases being seriously crippled, it is a real test
  for both sides to solve above-mentioned problems
  in bilateral relations.

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Part Eight Sino-US Relations

• Sino-US relations
• In autumn, 1997, leaders of both countries
  jointly proposed building a constructive
  strategic partnership, signaling Sino-U.S.
  relations has picked up finally.  Results gained
  through the exchange visits of heads of state of
  both countries are out of expectation, both in
  form and essence. 
• Its great implication lies in that it affirmed a
  new base on which Sino-U.S. relations rely for
  maintenance and development.  Such a new base
  regarded mutual beneficial economic and trade
  relations as the core and cooperation in trade
  and security as a pillar.

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Part Eight Sino-US Relations

• Sino-US relations
• More important, Sino-U.S. relations has
  transformed from simply driving by external
  forces (for dealing with their common external
  threat) to a two-way driving type with both
  internal forces (arising from decisions for
  cooperation from respective major domestic
  policies) and external forces (need for
  cooperation on global and regional security
  affairs).
• It is worth pointing out that progress made in
  Sino-U.S. relations at this stage has its special
  conditions.  Moreover, these conditions are of
  universal significance for both past and future.

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Part Eight Sino-US Relations

• Sino-US relations
• Firstly, decision-making bodies of both countries
  show desires for developing relations.  Such
  desires arose from major domestic policies of
  both China and the United States.  As soon as
  Clinton entered the White House, he set a
  national policy of rejuvenating U.S. economy.  At
  the same time, spurred on Deng Xiaopings talks
  during his inspection tour in China, China was
  striving for a new step up in economy so as to
  secure the strategic objective of quadrupling its
  gross national economic product by the end of
  this century. 

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Part Eight Sino-US Relations

• Sino-US relations
• The common desire of developing a mutual
  beneficial economic and trade cooperative
  relationship has become the main power for
  decision-making bodies of both China and the
  United States who were determined to improve the
  bilateral relations. 
• After 1996, strive for maintaining and expanding
  cooperation in security field has strengthened
  the momentum for the improvement of Sino-U.S.
  relations.

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Part Eight Sino-US Relations

• Sino-US relations
• Facts show that the power strength that inside
  societies of China and the United States for
  developing bilateral relations are different,
  with the desire for developing Sino-U.S.
  relations inside Chinese society exceeds that of
  U.S.. 
• Such desires in the Chinese society include
  developing economic and trade relations with the
  United States, learning advanced science and
  technology from U.S. and getting to know U.S.
  culture. 
• In all, the United States is an important
  reference to Chinas modernization drive.  On the
  other hand, the U.S. side thinks more of trade
  and security needs and its inner demand for
  developing relations with China is not as strong
  as Chinas.

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Part Eight Sino-US Relations

• Sino-US relations
• The second condition is that, Chinas reform and
  opening up to the outside world and its foreign
  policies would not have a fundamental reverse and
  the United States would not challenge Chinas
  core interest. 
• Without the national development strategy
  adopted since the Third Plenary Session of the
  11th Central Committee by the CCP, without the
  expedition of Deng Xiaopings talks during his
  inspection tour, it is almost out of the question
  for China to try to maintain a constructive
  relationship with the United States. 
• If the US had continuously challenged Chinas
  core interest and did not as in 1994 move human
  rights issue away from the central place of One
  China Principle on Taiwan issue, it is also
  impossible for China and the United States to
  maintain a constructive relations. 

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Part Eight Sino-US Relations

• Sino-US relations
• The  foregoing two basic conditions have in fact
  provided a basic thread for an understanding of
  present and near future changes of Sino-U.S.
  relations.  Such a thread is whether both sides
  have, arising from their respective basic
  national policies, desires for developing
  cooperative relations and whether basic
  conditions have been formed for promotion of
  development of Sino-U.S. relations.
• The Sino-U.S. relations are currently moving
  towards a new stage.  Compared with the former
  stage featuring dealing with problems in
  bilateral relations, an ever bigger proportion in
  Sino-U.S. relations will be placed on jointly
  facing and handling significant international
  affairs and opening dialogues on important
  principles that guide present international order.

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Part Eight Sino-US Relations

• Sino-US relations
• For example, one direct cause for the setback of
  Sino-U.S. relations was U.S. attack on Chinese
  Embassy in Yugoslavia.  However, it is better to
  say that such a drastic impact was a breakout of
  long term contradictions between the two
  countries.
• Behind that, it reflected significant differences
  on a series of international issues between China
  and the United States. 
• For example, U.S. and the Great Britain air
  attacked Iraq regardless of the voting result of
  five permanent members of the security council
  U.S. increased its deployment of national missile
  defense system while going against related
  international agreements U.S. expanded spheres
  of areas of U.S.-Japan military alliance,
  unwilling to commit that such an alliance would
  not encroach on Taiwan issue

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Part Eight Sino-US Relations

• Sino-US relations
• Bypassing UN, NATO carried out military attacks
  over Yugoslavia, who is a sovereign state and
  attempted to take this opportunity to make
  substantial revisions to the state relations
  norms that of the utmost importance, etc. 
• Ten years since the end of the Cold War, while
  developing Sino-U.S. bilateral relations in an
  all-round way, changes have taken place to the
  positions of both countries in the present
  world.  The United States, on one hand, as a
  unique super power, not only its overall national
  strength is far superior, it also maintains a
  forceful rising momentum in various fields. 
  Americans themselves are full of vigor being a
  world leader, interfering all over the world.

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Part Eight Sino-US Relations

• Sino-US relations
• On the other hand, with a rapid upgrade of its
  overall national strength, China shows
  increasingly concern over international affairs
  and its spheres of influence are widening.  Such
  is a sense of responsibility for a big nation and
  also a natural result of Chinas rapid expansion
  of its own interests.  China can hardly take an
  attitude of evasion on many issues. 
•  To some extent, jointly building a constructive
  strategic partnership is just a foreseeing
  reaction to such a trend of history mentioned
  above.  It definitely represents a positive will
  of cooperation.

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Part Eight Sino-US Relations

• Sino-US relations
• Against the such changing background, China and
  the United States will have to face the problem
  at the deepest level that determine the bilateral
  relations,
• that is, on one hand, whether China has
  determined to take a constructive pose to mix
  itself completely into the current international
  system, whose many important rules now favorable
  and ever more favorable to developed countries
  with U.S. occupies a leading position
• on the other hand, whether the United States has
  determined to sincerely not standing in the way
  of Chinas mixture into the current international
  system as China is a big rising non-western
  country.  That means the United States has to
  readjust its attitude and position on some
  important issues. 

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Part Eight Sino-US Relations

• Sino-US relations
• To sum up, in order to lead the world, the United
  States has to face and accept certain changes
  brought by Chinas mixing into the current
  international system. 
• In order to mix into the world, a rising China
  also has to soberly think and deal with various
  problems and difficulties brought by U.S.
  policies. 
• It is just from this angle sees that with a view
  of development of Sino-U.S. relations, the two
  countries reached an agreement on Chinas
  accession into WTO have epoch-making
  significance.

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Part Eight Sino-US Relations

• Sino-US relations
• After the end of the Cold War, Sino-U.S.
  relations were described as at the cross-roads
  for a time. 
• In early 1990s, both China and the United States
  examined seriously at relations between the two
  sides, striving to orient the relations between
  the two countries in conformity with their
  national interests respectively.  At that time,
  the Chinese government proposed a policy of
  building trust, reducing troubles, developing
  cooperation and not going in for confrontation,
  while the U.S. government proposed an
  engagement policy towards China.

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Part Eight Sino-US Relations

• Sino-US relations
• Just during the process of running-in these two
  policies as well as after having experienced toss
  and torture of ups and downs, the two leaders
  have gradually excavated and accumulated common
  understandings and finally reached one on the
  orientation of development of Sino-U.S.
  relations. 
• That is to build a constructive strategic
  partnership between China and the United States

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Part Eight Sino-US Relations

• Sino-US relations
• U.S. bombing of Chinese Embassy in Yugoslavia on
  May 8th led to a drastic deterioration of
  Sino-U.S. relations, the degree of which has a
  direct link with two sides diametrically
  opposing positions on NATOs air attack on the
  Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. 
• Development of events has obviously resulted in
  both sides doubts over constructive strategic
  partnership and obviously lowering anticipation
  for the future development of Sino-U.S.
  relations.
• Under this circumstance, in order to understand
  the Sino-American relations future, it is
  necessary to analyze some  characteristics
  created in the transformation. In generally,
  those characteristics include four aspects as
  following

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Part Eight Sino-US Relations

• Sino-US relations
• Importance. It means Sino-U.S. relations
  involves two countries significant strategic
  interests.  For both China and the United States
  have decisive impact on global and regional
  international political situations,  and
  Sino-U.S. relations is also greatly checked and
  influenced by external forces and neither side
  would be able to go its own way.
• Comprehensiveness. It means Sino-U.S.
  relations involves two sides political,
  economic, social, cultural, military security
  fields as well as different departments in the
  government and various regions.

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Part Eight Sino-US Relations

• Sino-US relations
•  Complexity. It means China and the US have
  formed an interest structure of wider contents
  and scopes.  Interests at different levels are
  becoming complicated. There exist advantages and
  disadvantages, conflict and compromise,
  competition and cooperation.  Concepts like
  enemies or friends, competitive adversaries
  or cooperative partnership are not sufficient
  to concisely summarize the status quo of
  Sino-U.S. relations.
•  Infiltration. It means Sino-U.S. relations has
  infiltrated into the social life of both
  countries respectively and formed an impact not
  to be ignored on the two countries domestic
  politics in many ways. 

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Part Eight Sino-US Relations

• Sino-US relations
• After the Cold War, Sino-U.S. relations has
  experienced difficulties and crises and it
  gradually improved through the process of
  surmounting various problems and obstacles.
• This phenomenon looks contradictory, but it is
  determined by the fixed basic characteristics
  mentioned above. The existence of  them determine
  that future development of Sino-U.S. relations
  will neither appear drastic changes as before nor
  be smooth.
•  Facing the above special situations, two
  conditions are indispensable for improvement and
  development of Sino-U.S. relations in a new
  stage.

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Part Eight Sino-US Relations

• Sino-US relations
• First of all, it is necessary for China and the
  US to consolidate and develop a set relationship
  framework that is in conformity with interests of
  both sides.  Such a framework involves a common
  understanding reached on the orientation of
  development of Sino-U.S. relations and an
  institutionalized contact system that is setup
  for the realization of these common objectives. 
  Such contacts should involve various levels and
  fields as many as possible. 
• Under this framework, leaders of both countries
  may secure an effective lead and management of
  Sino-U.S. relations, making Sino-U.S. relations
  develops in a fixed direction.

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Part Eight Sino-US Relations

• Sino-US relations
• Secondly, it is of utmost importance to take
  effective measures to build mutual trust.  At
  present, profound reasons restraining Sino-U.S.
  cooperation and even possibly leading China and
  the United States to conflict are their deep
  going suspicious about the strategic intentions
  of either side. 
• Moreover, domestically, there is an obvious
  increase of distrust towards the other side in
  both China and the United States, but degrees and
  causes for that happens are completely different.

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Part Eight Sino-US Relations

• Sino-US relations
• From Chinas perspective, suspicious have existed
  long towards the United States.  The so-called
  doubts means suspecting U.S. strategic
  intentions, not sure of situation of Sino-U.S.
  relations and having a deep concern over its
  future development.
• There is no denying that there are various
  reasons for the arise of this kind of doubt, but
  in general, such is a reaction to U.S. attitude
  and acts in dealing with international affairs
  (affairs concerning China in particular) in the
  past period.  Similarly, general speaking,
  Chinese publics anti-America sentiments are
  aimed at some specific issues without having some
  especially profound social bases .

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Part Eight Sino-US Relations

• Sino-US relations
• Things are much more serious in the United
  States.  U.S. domestic discussion on China
  Threat have demonstrated that the US has an
  extremely deep suspicious about Chinas reform
  and opening-up to the outside world would
  continue.  
• U. S. worries about Chinas strategic intentions
  and its future foreign policies, worrying that
  Chinas emergence would challenge U.S.
  predominant position, etc. 
• Such doubts are reflected on such acts as taking
  more and more precautious measures against
  China.  For example, while encouraging or
  inciting its European and Asian allies to
  strengthen their armaments, the United States is
  neurotic at every additional missile that China
  deploys.  This is by no means a normal state of
  mind.

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Part Eight Sino-US Relations

• Sino-US relations
• Such an Americas abnormal state of mind is a
  compound of various factors, among which involve
  cultural superiority, arrogance arising from in a
  predominant position, potential awareness of
  exclusiveness on race, lack of experience in
  dealing with big non-western nations and opposing
  ideologies, etc. 
• These factors are fundamentally influencing a
  group of Americans basic attitude and
  reflections on the emergence of such a big
  non-western country as China and makes it hard
  for them to rationally look at some of Chinas
  basic interests and emotions. 

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Part Eight Sino-US Relations

• Sino-US relations
• Yet, for such big countries as China and the
  United States, mutual respect for each others
  basic interests and emotions is indispensable. 
  Seen from the above perspectives, much more
  efforts are needed to eliminate Americas doubts
  and prevent such doubts from evolving into
  erroneous policies.
• On the other hand, it is admitted that, after the
  disintegration of the Soviet Union, the United
  States for a time saw post-unified Germany and
  Japan who has a fast economic development as
  threats. 

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Part Eight Sino-US Relations

• Sino-US relations
• Yet, both Germany and Japans ties of alliance
  with the United States and their attachments to
  U.S. have finally eliminated the United States
  doubts. 
• There exist no such conditions in Sino-U.S.
  relations.  Only by resolving contradiction and
  conflict can both sides gradually find out a
  framework that can stabilize Sino-U.S.
  relations.  The only thing that is sure of at
  present is, it would be unprecedented regardless
  of the finding process or that framework itself.

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• The end ,
• Thank you!