U.S., China to continue dialogue

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

WASHINGTON, MARCH 23. For all the noise and rhetoric in the run up to the meeting, the U.S. President, Mr. George W Bush, and the visiting Chinese Vice-Premier, Mr. Qian Qichen, have declared that while there are sharp differences between the two countries on issues, they will to continue the dialogue. Mr. Bush told the highest ranking Chinese official he has met thus far that differences could be overcome if the two nations approached them with ``mutual respect''.

Mr. Qian agreed with Mr. Bush's perception and said, ``Where we disagree we can have a very good exchange of views. Some issues can be approached in the spirit of seeking common ground while shelving the differences.'' The two leaders are said to have discussed a range of critical issues with arms sales to Taiwan by the U.S. and human rights situation in China being the dominant items on the political agenda.

Mr. Bush, who is due to visit Beijing after the Summit of the Leaders of the Asia Pacific Economic Forum in Shanghai this October, also made the point that it was in the best interests of the U.S. ``to have good relations with China''. That said Mr. Bush also made it a point to bring up the sensitive issue of human rights making a pointed reference to the detention of a Chinese American scholar prior to the start of his formal meeting with Mr. Qian.

That human rights is going to be a tough subject for both China and the Bush administration is evident from the manner in which a group of law-makers are going about the issue. On the eve of the Bush-Qian meeting, a group of law-makers introduced a Resolution in the House of Representatives opposing China's bid to host the Olympics in 2008. A similar Resolution is expected to be introduced in the Senate involving hardline Republicans and Liberal Democrats. The top Chinese official who is considered an expert on international political and security issues is on a weeklong visit; and apart from seeing the President has met all the top Cabinet officials at the State Department, the Pentagon and the National Security Council. Mr. Qian is scheduled to have a meeting with the Vice-President, Mr. Richard Cheney, later in the day.

Mr. Bush and Mr. Qian discussed two main security issues on the bilateral agenda - the Republican administration's stance on the National Missile Defence and the impending American sale of weapons to Taiwan, the latter being especially sensitive as Beijing views Taiwan as a renegade province. In New York at the start of his trip, the Chinese leader made the point that ``serious strains'' would develop in relations if the Bush administration went ahead with Taiwan's shopping list. Mr. Qian also refused to rule out a pre-emptive strike against Taiwan if Aegis class destroyers were provided.

On the subject of the National Missile Defence, Mr. Bush is believed to have told Mr. Qian that the project is not aimed at China and that China too has a threat from weapons of mass destruction. ``Nothing we do is a threat to you and I want you to tell that to your leadership,'' Mr. Bush is reported to have told Mr. Qian. After hanging tough on the NMD, the Chinese recently indicated that they are not averse to discussing the matter with Washington.

On the arms sales to Taiwan, Mr. Bush and Mr. Qian reportedly did not discuss the details of the proposal; and that Mr. Bush is said to have assured Mr. Qian that he will not do anything to breach a 1982 Joint Communique that pledged not to increase the quality or the quantity of the arms being sold to Taiwan. Prior to the meeting getting under way, Mr. Bush made the point that a decision on the arms sale had not been taken.

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Section  : International
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