US-China Conference: Costing the Peace of This Century

President Obama held a conference with China’s President Xi Jinping, who was visiting America. China showed its opposition with regard to national security, while also raising the importance of its economy. Both countries must aim for world stability, and step onto the path to peaceful coexistence.

This is President Xi’s first visit to America as the leader of China. The last time the heads of state talked was November of last year.

Unresolved problems have abounded since then. America criticized the Chinese government for supporting cyberattacks against government agencies and businesses. China is growing ever wary, as shown by its reclamation of reefs in the South China Sea. The gap in their positions on human rights issues is incredibly huge.

China is noticeable for its provocative attitude and show of force. For its 2015 China Victory Day Parade, a military parade celebrating the 70th anniversary of Victory over Japan Day at the end of World War II, it placed on exhibit intercontinental ballistic missiles that have a range spanning almost the entire length of America. In the middle of this month, a Chinese aircraft flew abnormally close to an American spy plane over the Yellow Sea.

After arriving in America, Xi declared that “the citizens of both countries are hoping to achieve ‘a new model of major country relationship.'” He cited this as the reason for his visit, and definitely projected a sense of rivalry toward America.

In America, the “Chinese Threat” has only intensified.

The friction doesn’t stop at just America and China. America is a member of the Group of 7, a group of seven leading industrial nations that expelled Russia from their midst. In response, China joined with Russia and is working on forming new frameworks such as BRICS, a rising five-country group, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.* Even international orders are split along the U.S.-China axis.

On one hand, America’s economic dependence on China has been increasing. Xi held a conference with senior executives of Apple and other American and Chinese corporations. Chinese aircraft leasing companies agreed to purchase 300 planes from the American company Boeing. With the devaluation of the Chinese yuan in August and the resulting stock market crash, America, as well as the world economy as a whole, sustained a huge shock.

Antagonism toward China cannot only amass by force, like in the Cold War. I would like for America to avoid conflict with China, and instead, busy itself with finding policies that allow coexistence.

In June 2013, the leaders of both countries held an eight-hour conference, and agreed to create “a new model of major country relationship.” In a conference held in November of last year, they made a joint announcement marking their new initiative to limit greenhouse gas emissions, and showing their cooperation with one another.

Before the summit meeting, Xi emphasized that in order for the two countries to avoid conflict, “we must read each other’s strategic intentions correctly.”

I hope that this summit meeting will allow America and China to deepen communication of their purposes, provide a thorough explanation of their mutual intent, and prove to be a good opportunity for them to come to an understanding.

*Editor’s note: BRICS is the acronym for an association of five major emerging national economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization is an international alliance founded in 2001 by six member states (China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan).