Experts' views vary on the path of Sino-US relations
By Li Ye |
China Watch |
Updated: 2018-07-06 16:10
Chinese experts saw the coming of a new era of Sino-US relations but were unable to agree on where it will lead.
In a recent seminar attended by China-US studies experts, professor Chen Dingding from Jinan University voiced his view that the bilateral relations will go through a “dark time” in the following five to 10 years, while Zhu Xiangyuan, former member of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, said he is “generally optimistic” about the outlook, so long as China keeps calm and modest over its progress.
[Photo courtesy of D&C Think Tank]
Heated discussion was triggered among the experts by Chen’s speech on the future of China-US relations under strategic competition during the half-day seminar held by D&C Think Tank and the Center for Globalization of Tsinghua University on June 29 in Beijing.
An era of comprehensive strategic competition between China and the United States has been unveiled, Chen stated, since US President Donald Trump defined China -- for the first time in 40 years -- as one of the major threats in the National Security Strategy of the US launched in December 2017. In Chen’s view, as the trade war intensified, “disengagement” between the two nations in multiple sectors is around the corner, which could be unavoidable but beneficial to peace and stability within the two countries.
Yuan Youwei, deputy director of the Department of External Affairs of China Center for International Economic Exchange, highlighted the abrupt changes she found in the attitude and strategy of the US toward China, especially concerning the once enthusiastic chamber of commerce and politicians. They had harbored the hope, she said, to include China in the Western scheme, but their recent indifferent tone, however, suggested that “they have run out of patience”.
When it comes to the role of Trump in these changes, she added, “although China-US trade frictions have existed from the very beginning, it is Trump who sparked the sentiment of confrontation among the public’’.
On the other hand, confrontation is not the only choice, as suggested by Zhu Xiangyuan and Zhong Feiteng, director of the Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Science (CASS). “China and the US as representatives of Oriental and Western culture, are actually complementary to each other,” said Zhu. “No good will come from spoiling China-US relations.”
“Cautious optimism” is the term Zhong used to clarify his perspective. He believes that the Chinese people have the gene of long-term planning from the perspective of history. He has confidence in China-US relations despite the fact that China still lagged far behind in the sectors of science and technology. “We have been moving forward in adversity ever since 1840, the beginning of the modern history of China,” he said.
One consensus reached among the experts is that China at this stage should adopt a low profile. “China could influence the world not by reaching out, but through quietly improving herself,” said Qiu Chaobing, an associate professor at the Institute of American Studies of CASS. “More often than not, the rules are adjusted in the course of being obeyed.”
Chinese experts saw the coming of a new era of Sino-US relations but were unable to agree on where it will lead.
In a recent seminar attended by China-US studies experts, professor Chen Dingding from Jinan University voiced his view that the bilateral relations will go through a “dark time” in the following five to 10 years, while Zhu Xiangyuan, former member of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, said he is “generally optimistic” about the outlook, so long as China keeps calm and modest over its progress.
[Photo courtesy of D&C Think Tank]
Heated discussion was triggered among the experts by Chen’s speech on the future of China-US relations under strategic competition during the half-day seminar held by D&C Think Tank and the Center for Globalization of Tsinghua University on June 29 in Beijing.
An era of comprehensive strategic competition between China and the United States has been unveiled, Chen stated, since US President Donald Trump defined China -- for the first time in 40 years -- as one of the major threats in the National Security Strategy of the US launched in December 2017. In Chen’s view, as the trade war intensified, “disengagement” between the two nations in multiple sectors is around the corner, which could be unavoidable but beneficial to peace and stability within the two countries.
Yuan Youwei, deputy director of the Department of External Affairs of China Center for International Economic Exchange, highlighted the abrupt changes she found in the attitude and strategy of the US toward China, especially concerning the once enthusiastic chamber of commerce and politicians. They had harbored the hope, she said, to include China in the Western scheme, but their recent indifferent tone, however, suggested that “they have run out of patience”.
When it comes to the role of Trump in these changes, she added, “although China-US trade frictions have existed from the very beginning, it is Trump who sparked the sentiment of confrontation among the public’’.
On the other hand, confrontation is not the only choice, as suggested by Zhu Xiangyuan and Zhong Feiteng, director of the Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Science (CASS). “China and the US as representatives of Oriental and Western culture, are actually complementary to each other,” said Zhu. “No good will come from spoiling China-US relations.”
“Cautious optimism” is the term Zhong used to clarify his perspective. He believes that the Chinese people have the gene of long-term planning from the perspective of history. He has confidence in China-US relations despite the fact that China still lagged far behind in the sectors of science and technology. “We have been moving forward in adversity ever since 1840, the beginning of the modern history of China,” he said.
One consensus reached among the experts is that China at this stage should adopt a low profile. “China could influence the world not by reaching out, but through quietly improving herself,” said Qiu Chaobing, an associate professor at the Institute of American Studies of CASS. “More often than not, the rules are adjusted in the course of being obeyed.”
