Wednesday, 5 November 2008

China reacts cautiously to Barack Obama’s win

Chinese leaders congratulated Barack Obama on his election as US president but remained carefully neutral about how they saw his triumph.

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Guanyu said...

China reacts cautiously to Barack Obama’s win

Chinese leaders congratulated Barack Obama on his election as US president but remained carefully neutral about how they saw his triumph.

By Richard Spencer in Beijing
5 November 2008

Chinese premier Hu Jintao cautiously welcomed Barack Obama as the successor to George W Bush Photo: AP

They also issued a customary first test of his diplomatic skills by referring to one of the most sensitive touch-points of their relationship – America’s military support for Taiwan.

“China and the United States share broad common interests and important responsibilities on a wide range of major issues concerning the wellbeing of humanity,” read the message from President Hu Jintao.

“To grow long-term healthy and stable China-US relations serves the fundamental interests of our countries and peoples and is of great significance to the maintenance and promotion of peace, stability and development in the world.”

Mr. Hu is expected to travel to Washington next month to attend President George W Bush’s summit on the world financial crisis.

Mr. Hu’s message went on to refer to the “three Sino-US communiqués” which are the basis of their diplomatic relationship, and include American promises not to recognise Taiwan as an independent country.

It is not clear when he will first meet Mr. Obama in a formal setting, but he is sure to demand that Mr. Obama promises to keep that commitment, and will also request an end to arms shipments to the self-governing island, something that Mr. Obama may find harder to accept.

Analysts say that while Chinese neutrality in the election follows its principle of non-intervention in other countries’ affairs, it also reflects a belief that neither candidate was likely to much change the nature of the relationship.

Mr. McCain’s greater hawkishness on security issues, including the rise of China, was balanced by promises by Mr. Obama to “protect American jobs” – seen as code for a more hostile stance to outsourcing manufacturing to Asia, and particularly China.

Among those ordinary people who showed an interest, Mr. Obama was clearly a favourite, for reasons expressed elsewhere – he offered the hope of restoring optimism to American politics, and by extension the rest of the world.

“The biggest American dream is not having expensive houses and cars,” wrote Xue Yong, a commentator for China’s most popular internet new site. “It is that you can achieve the highest power as long as you have the ability, enough effort and a persistent goal. Obama’s achievement demonstrates to us how democracy can effectively modify itself.”

Some political observers believe his more conciliatory approach to international affairs is also key to his support around the world. “He is our man, I think,” said Shen Dingli, a professor of international relations at Shanghai’s Fudan University, who has acted as adviser to the Chinese government in the past.

“China wants to solve problems through international co-operation. The new president will create much more space for international co-operation than under Bush.”

Kenneth Lieberthal, who was senior China adviser to President Bill Clinton, said China was also aware that the relationship would now have issues to address that it had never encountered before – the financial crisis, and collaboration over global warming and clean energy issues.

“The US-China relationship is going to be shaped in part in the next few years by two issues that have not conditioned the relationship in the past,” he said. “Together, they are likely to significantly affect each leadership’s evaluation of the other in the coming few years.”