The first handshake between Chinese President Hu Jintao and US President Barack Obama was one of the most eye-catching scenes at the G-20 London Summit. The two heads of state exchanged views on China-US relations and important issues of mutual concern. Both leaders agreed to work together to build a comprehensive China-US relationship featuring positive cooperation in the 21st century. The two sides also decided to establish the "China-US Strategic and Economic Dialogue" mechanism to promote the development of China-US relations in the new era.
China-US cooperation is helpful in raising global confidence to tackle the global financial crisis and will be conducive in pushing the world economy towards a speedy recovery.
After 30 years' development since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the US on January 1, 1979, the relationship between the two countries is entering a relatively mature stage. The first meeting between President Hu Jintao and President Obama at the London Summit will deepen mutual trust between the two countries, and define the basic framework of the China-US relationship for the coming four years.
The G-20 summit puts up a new platform for the development of China-US relations. With the backdrop of constant spread of the current international financial crisis as well as increasingly outstanding challenges worldwide, further deepening and developing of China-US relations is especially important. These are good reasons for China and the US to pull together in times of trouble to make their contributions for promoting the recovery of the world economy.
Further development of China-US ties will help create a new mode to jointly solve world issues between developing countries and developed countries. During most of the 20th century, all of the major issues worldwide were solved through consultations among a small number of developed countries, while numerous developing countries were mostly passive recipients. The reality of continuous development in economic globalization indicates that without the cooperation of developing countries, most world issues cannot be effectively solved. Both China and the US, the former a developing country with rapid economic growth, and the latter the most powerful developed country, have the responsibility to make concerted efforts to promote the resolution of this series of world issues, and through such efforts deepen cooperation between both sides.
Since the Carter Administration, China-US relations have for the most part experienced low periods following each US president taking office, and then gradually picked up. In the end, Washington always had no other option but to get back on track and cooperate with Beijing on issues of common concern.
After Obama took office however, China-US relations did not continue this strange cycle. The Obama administration attaches great importance to China-US ties and is willing to strengthen coordination and cooperation with China on a series of important issues. This is a favorable factor for the development of China-US relations in the coming years.
At present, China and the US have already formed or are in the process of forming communication and negotiation mechanisms at various levels. It is believed that these mechanisms will be promoted and intensified. China-US relations have begun to march forward on the basis of existing relative stability.
Due to different national contexts, China and the US have different opinions on some issues, making it difficult to avoid some friction. Only if both sides, adopt a bold strategy and long-term perspective, properly cope with issues in the spirit of treating each other as equals, have mutual respect and do not interfere in one another's internal affairs, and have complete respect and care for each other's core benefits, can both countries avoid serious disturbances and harm.
Both China and the US are countries with important influence in the world. The peaceful coexistence of these two countries has created new historical possibilities for human society. It demonstrates that two powers with different political systems and ideologies and in different stages of development do not necessarily have to overcome one another. The rise of an emerging country does not necessarily mean the decline of an old powerful state.
Both China and the US share a wide range of common interests and shoulder important responsibilities in major issues that involve world peace and development. Whether these two great powers, China and the US, can coexist peacefully will directly decide world peace in the 21st century. Moving forward hand-in-hand, the two can provide a strong driving force for global prosperity.
By People's Daily Online
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