By Li Hongmei People's Daily Online

The U.S. new administration simultaneously sent its two Chinese-American Secretaries to China, opening up a new vista in the U.S. diplomatic history which has already seen a shift of focal points on a spate of foreign policies initiated by President Obama. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu and Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke set foot on the Chinese soil on July.14 kicking off their 4-day visit to their home country, and more important, launching a mechanism of 'green dialogue' with their counterparts and relevant officials on the Chinese side.

To many of the Chinese, it is also a new look presented by the high-profile U.S. officials: Chinese-looking appearance and gentle pace in speech and manner. They look more like typical Chinese scholars, low-keyed and subdued, than the stereotyped visiting U.S. politicians, who tend to be more eloquent but kind of fault-finding. Perhaps, that is where Obama's China policy is headed, seeking more maneuvering space for cooperation rather than deepening misunderstanding and confrontation. The Chinese-looking American Secretaries will impress the Chinese officialdom and public more, as the Chinese culture always highlights the ties of blood and encourages the intimacy among compatriots of the same origin. The card of 'kinship' wisely played by the new administration again gave a glimpse of 'soft power' strategy advocated vocally by the Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

It was reported by the U.S. media that the two Secretaries would focus on issues related to energy, mainly centered around 'combating climate change and enhancing cooperation on energy,' with the aim to usher in 'green diplomacy' with China. This is completely in conformity with China's endeavor to curb environmental pollution while continually beefing up its economy, and point to the common prospect for energy conservation and emission reduction.

But what bewilders the Chinese public is that why now, the U.S. is abruptly turning to 'green,' considering it has all along refused to sign Kyoto Protocol, an endorsement to set restrictions on green-house gas emission. In all likelihood, it is the worsening economic downtrend that brought about the change, forcing the super power to face up to the reality and review its ongoing energy policies. Mired in the worst economic slump in decades, the U.S. came to realize that one of the most effective strategies to revive its ailing economy is nothing but push for clean energy. Its Energy Secretary Steven Chu had driven home the point when he received the interview from People's Daily Online Thursday. 'China should not retrace the route the Western industrial countries had so far covered, as the price would be as much as environmental pollution, and likewise, the energy consumption mode seen in the U.S. auto industry should never be simply simulated,' said Mr.Chu.

What deserves more attention may be the fact that the Chinese -American high-ranking officials came to China with nary the intention to seek root or just to extend goodwill, but to promote cooperation with China on behalf of the American interests. In terms of jointly combating climate change and strengthening the cooperation in energy, China and U.S. has the common ground while still preserving a host of differences--some of them just insurmountable.

It is incumbent upon both China and the U.S., as the world's largest developing and developed country respectively, to join hands to salvage the delicate eco-environment by conserving non-renewable resources and reducing green-house gas emission. Therefore the undertaking for environmental protection is a shared commitment binding both countries. But it has to be pointed that even if China immediately follows the U.S. in the total volume of green-house gas emission, its per capita contribution still far lags behind the U.S., which means China is unlikely to assume as much of the responsibility as the U.S. does. This will be a tough and long-standing problem dangling between the two countries. It is now an opportune moment for them both to work together, but the tug-of-war fighting for their respective national interests might well persist, tracing its way into the future deals.