Chinese President Visits Microsoft, White House

Chinese President Hu Jingtao is in the USA this week, and his visit signals that China views President Bush as a lame duck. Arriving in Seattle, Washington, rather than Washington, DC, Mr. Hu’s plans have him spending more time with Bill Gates than George “LBJ” Bush. The message is clear; China’s leader has more important things to do than meet with the American President.

The US-China relationship is rapidly becoming the most important and most complicated in the Pacific Rim. Economically, the two are linked by America’s huge trade deficit with China and the resulting problem China has in recycling the surplus paper America sends it. Politically, the two are rivals for influence while at the same time must deal with mutual problems like North Korea and Iran from different perspectives. On a proper state visit (which this never was supposed to be), Messrs. Hu and Bush could discuss: North Korea, Iran, oil prices, trade deficits, intellectual property, Taiwan, illegal immigration into the US from China, and military relations. Instead, they will meet for lunch tomorrow and a quick photo op.

On the numerous matters before the two nations, only the most pressing will be addressed. The Chinese see no reason to deal with a man whose time and power are limited. Any deal they make with the current president can be undone by his successor. While this is ever the case, it is exaggerated here because Mr. Bush’s foreign policy is a flashpoint in US politics, something the most casual Chinese observer will note.

Therefore, one may expect no progress on Taiwan, North Korea or Iran unless the issue in question reaches crisis proportions, and the world isn’t there yet on any of them. They will simply be festering wounds for years. The US trade issues with China won’t get anything more than cosmetic attention because the Chinese see no crisis, merely problems to be managed. China couldn’t save Richard Nixon’s second term, and it can’t save Mr. Bush’s. Moreover, it probably doesn’t want to do so.



© Copyright 2006 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Fedora Linux.

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