China and US Should Solidify Economic and Trade Relations

Published in 21st Century Business Herald
(China) on 12 September 2015
by (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Anthony Chantavy. Edited by Alison Lacey.
Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit the United States this month to discuss national affairs. He will prove to the world that China strives for sustained and stable relations with America to set an example for the world and, especially in this political environment, to transfer power for the sake of the world's stability and development.

After the subprime mortgage crisis, America, trapped in decline, became worried about the ever rising country of China. Another thing that worries America is that China, after causing a territorial stalemate in its seas with its Asia-Pacific rebalancing, now keeps close watch on its core interests, creating a “China anxiety complex” in Washington and posing a threat to stable U.S.-China relations.

It is against this setting that President Xi's visit to America will help turn the negative situation around. Moreover, this is the first time in the history of U.S.-China diplomacy that a Chinese leader will visit America during its election season, which will not only invite challenges, but also have important meaning. China is bound to change the American people's false impressions of the country, spread by politicians and the media, by being open to addressing several problems and strengthening economic cooperation. However, the development of U.S.-China relations needs both countries to set forth in the same direction.

For a long time, economy and trade have been the anchor and stabilizer of U.S.-China relations, but with the world economy not in its best state – especially since the U.S.-China economy is experiencing some disharmony, and as Washington restrains China – the countries' close economic and trade links along with the mutual benefits these have brought are being pushed over the edge. This is a dangerous sign that the foundation of the countries' relations is suffering heavy damage.

We believe that China has no desire to challenge the current system and no plan to Americanize its diplomacy. U.S.-China relations are still the most important relations in the world, and fighting will result in a loss for both countries and threaten global stability. Therefore, developing and maintaining peaceful relations is in the best interest of both countries.

Financial guru George Soros once warned, "The U.S. government has little to gain and much to lose by treating the relationship with China as a zero-sum game." Similarly, China faces a difficult transition. If it does not handle its relationship with America well, it will have no way to focus its energy on reform.

Even though China and America cannot guarantee strategic trust in the development of their close economic and trade relations, stronger cooperation would definitely help build that trust. America is about to begin its elections and there is a slim chance that it will adjust its anti-China policy in the short-term. But tighter economic and cultural ties with American society are beneficial to the long-distance development of the countries' relations. Also, as long as the world economy is at a low point, China and America have more reason to expand their market reform and prevent protectionism.

China's high demand for American science and technology products is good for the U.S. economy's recovery. China also wishes to invest capital in America, which requires America to open itself up to China. Other things essential to China's promotion of change are continued expansion and reform of state-owned enterprises. Because of this, the countries must sign the U.S.-China Bilateral Investment Treaty, which would stimulate their economic development, as soon as possible. This will require courage and loyalty from both countries.

China has always been forced to deal with changes in America's anti-China policy. The key to stable relations is America's treatment of a rising country and whether we can build new major power relations that avoid conflict with our traditional relationship. China needs to reveal its good intentions and desire to cooperate, and America especially needs to fix its policy and make an effort to promote mutual trust.


中国国家主席习近平本月下旬即将对美国进行国事访问,他将向世界证明,中国正在努力寻求两国之间持续稳定发展的关系,从而树立世界大国关系的典范,尤其是在目前时局动荡的环境下,为全球的稳定与发展贡献力量。

在次贷危机爆发之后,陷入衰退的美国对国力日益上升的中国产生忧虑,在采取“亚太再平衡”战略以及由这一战略引起中国海洋领土纠纷之后,中国必然对自身核心利益进行坚定捍卫,这又让美国产生挫折感,导致整个华盛顿出现“中国焦虑情结”,对稳定的中美关系构成威胁。

正是在这种背景下,习近平主席访美将有助于扭转这种消极的势头,而且这也是中美建交以来,首位中国元首在美国大选周期内访美,因此,既有挑战性,更有重大意义。中国势必通过对诸多问题的开放性姿态以及加强经济合作来改变政客与媒体向美国人民传递的错误印象,但两国关系的发展需要两国政府共同努力,相向而行。

长期以来,经贸关系是中美关系的“压舱石”和“稳定器”,但是在全球经济不景气的背景下,尤其是中美经济面临“脱钩”,华盛顿转而遏制中国时,中美经贸密切的联系以及由此带来的共同利益被边缘化,这是一个危险的信号,意味着两国关系根本性的基础正在遭受侵蚀。

我们认为,中国既没有挑战现有秩序的野心,在外交上也没有“去美国化”的企图,中美关系仍然是全球最重要的关系,中美斗则两败并危及世界稳定,因此,维持和发展稳定的中美关系是两国共同利益。

金融大师乔治·索罗斯曾警告说,“如果美国政府将中美关系视为零和博弈,不仅得不到什么好处,反而会失去很多。”同样,中国面临艰难的内部转型,如果不处理好与美国的关系,将无法聚精会神的推动改革。

尽管中美在经贸关系上的密切发展并不能保证两国彼此之间拥有战略信任,但是,进一步加强经贸合作必然有利于促进战略互信。美国即将进行大选,短期内调整对华政策的可能性较低,但是加强与美国社会的经济、文化等交流与合作对两国关系的长远发展是有益的。而且,越是全球经济低迷,中美越应该相互扩大市场开放,防止保护主义发生。

中国对美国高科技产品有巨大的需求,这有利于美国经济的复苏,中国资本也有投资美国的愿望,这都需要美国向中国开放。另一方面,中国推动转型的一个重要前提是继续扩大开放,改革国有企业等。因此,两国应该尽快签订中美双边投资协定(BIT),通过这一协议促进两国经济发展。这需要双方都拿出勇气和诚意。

中国一直被动应对美国对华政策的改变,两国关系稳定的关键是美国如何对待一个崛起的大国,能不能建立一种新型大国关系,以避免守成大国与新型大国的冲突。中国需要释放善意以及合作的意愿,而美国更需要调整目前的政策,为增进两国互信作出努力。
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