Obama Strikes a Conciliatory Note in China

China is hosting Barack Obama with unprecedented self-confidence. The financial crisis and its aftermath have made it clear just how dependent the US has become on China, many think. A woman in Beijing put it this way:

"China is getting stronger and stronger. China is a superpower, both economically and politically. China is a country that cannot be ignored any longer. Just look at the economy. China has the highest foreign exchange reserves. Europe's influence is decreasing, but China is developing further."

Economic interdependence

The US and China don't see eye to eye on many economic issues. There are unresolved trade spats and the US believes China is keeping the value of its currency down artificially. But in Shanghai on Monday, the US president chose to stress the advantages of growing bilateral economic links:

"In 1979 trade between the United States and China stood at roughly five billion dollars. Today it tops over 400 billion dollars each year. The commerce affects our peoples' lives in so many ways. America imports from China many of the computer parts we use, the clothes we wear and we export to China machinery that helps power your industry. This trade could create even more jobs on both sides of the Pacific while allowing our people to enjoy a better quality of life."

Obama said it was not "predestined" that the US and China had to be adversaries, and he tried to dispel the notion that the US was out to "contain China's rise". Many America watchers in China believe that relations have become much more stable and amicable in recent years. Niu Jun, an expert on the US at the prestigious Beijing University, sees a growing realization that both sides stand to benefit from this. But he also cautioned that not all the problems have suddenly vanished.

"Like for example when the Dalai Lama visits the United States," Niu Jun said. "The Chinese government watches carefully to see if leading American politicians meet the Dalai Lama. This is a highly sensitive and important issue. The American administration should take these things very seriously."

Balancing diplomacy and human rights

Obama himself is definitely taking them seriously. He declined to meet the Dalai Lama when the Tibetan leader was in Washington in October, fearful of antagonizing Beijing before his visit to China. Speaking to students in Shanghai, he balanced diplomacy with a clear stance on human rights:

"We do not seek to impose any system of government on any other nation but we also don't believe the principles we stand for are unique to our nation. These freedoms of expression and worship, of access to information and political participation we believe are universal rights. They should be available to all people including ethnic and religious minorities whether they are in the United States, China or any nation."

Barack Obama has meanwhile arrived in Beijing where he is due to hold talks with President Hu Jintao on Tuesday and Premier Wen Jiabao on Wednesday.

Author: Thomas Bärthlein
Editor: Grahame Lucas