The seventh US-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue conference wrapped up in Washington on Wednesday with the announcement of more than 100 outcomes of discussions on everything from trade and economic issues, security and military cooperation to climate change, energy and maritime issues. However, despite the diplomatic niceties, the overall impression is of two sides talking past, not with, each other.
The dialogue conferences are intended to set the guidelines for relations between the two nations, and this week’s meetings were seen as especially crucial because of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) first state visit to the US set for September.
Despite the positive spin given at the closing news conference by the US’ Secretary of State John Kerry and Secretary of the Treasury Jack Lew and China’s State Councilor Yang Jiechi (楊潔篪) and Vice Premier Wang Yang (汪洋) on discussions about currency issues and other concerns, cracks in the facade were evident.
Kerry said this year’s conference was “one of the more constructive and productive in terms of the seriousness of the discussion,” yet he also talked about “acceptable international norms of behavior.” Yang spoke about the need for the US to “accommodate China’s concerns” and handle differences “with caution.”
Blunt talk was left to US President Barack Obama during a closed-door meeting at the White House on Wednesday with top Chinese delegates. He said that Beijing needed to ease tensions caused by its hacking of US systems and expansive maritime claims.
Beijing’s aggressive promotion of its South China Sea claims have been the focus of a lot of speeches in recent months, but at Wednesday’s closing news conference, all Kerry said was: “Countries with competing claims should exercise restraint, refrain from preventative unilateral actions, and settle their differences in accordance with international law.”
Instead, both sides focused on a new “oceans working group,” discussing maritime environmental protection, security and law enforcement, with an emphasis on conservation and protection.
Kerry said that the US and China would work together to try to create a marine protected area in the Ross Sea, while Yang talked about the oceans being “a shared homeland of mankind.”
Such talk is nice, but both sides need to take a more realistic look at their positions and forge a relationship that reflects the positive contributions that they can make, rather than focusing on each other’s perceived weaknesses.
Washington can acknowledge that China does have a greater role to play in the world through initiatives such as the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, while Beijing can acknowledge, and act to mitigate, that its maritime expansions cause serious concerns to neighboring countries.
China cannot lay claim to a greater role on the world stage while ignoring the responsibilities that come with it, while the US cannot pretend that it is the only major player in the room anymore.
However, this week’s talks have shown that both sides are far from being able talk to one another — and listen.
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