BEIJING: US President George W Bush’s first state visit to China, which ended on Friday, underscored the fundamental differences between the world’s most powerful nation and the world’s most populous one. Although Beijing tried to emphasise the bright side of US- China relations, the two countries were, and remain, divided on many issues ranging from weapons proliferation and human rights to Taiwan and religious freedom.
“When (President) Bill Clinton came to Beijing in 1998, China was his only destination,” says Professor Pang Zhongying of the International Affairs Research Institute of Xinhua University. “But President Bush wants to show us that the United States places more importance on the relations with its allied countries than on those with China.”
Both Washington and Beijing tried to focus on progress in bilateral ties over the last three decades since former US President Richard Nixon’s historic visit in 1972. Indeed, expectations for this visit were running high, not least because it was laden with symbolism and timing. Bush arrived in Beijing 30 years to the day since Nixon’s visit. That visit began the process of normalising relations between the two countries after years of hostility.
“Terrorism is a threat to both our countries,” Bush said after his talks with US President Jiang Zemin on Thursday. “I welcome China’s cooperation in our war against terror. I encourage China to continue to be a force for peace among its neighbours.” On Friday, Premier Zhu Rongji said: “History shows that there do exist differences of this sort or that between China and the United States, but (the two countries) have extensive and important common interests.”
The day before, Jiang said the two countries had achieved “consensus” and “positive results” in many areas during the visit. “China and the United States have different conditions, and the existence of some differences is normal.”
The divergence of opinions kept creeping up during Bush’ 38- hour visit, which took him from the Great Hall of the People to Tsinghua University, one of the China’s most prestigious academic institutions.
At Thursday’s joint press conference, which was shown nationwide, Bush thanked Beijing for its anti-terrorism solidarity after the attacks of Sep. 11, but also pressed the Chinese leadership to curb the sale of weapons technology and to let the Chinese people worship freely. A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said on Friday that the two countries will maintain cooperation on non-proliferation, saying Beijing is working on an export control list for missile-related items.
Defence experts had hopes that a deal on arms proliferation could be secured during Bush’s visit, but they were disappointed. Bush also made a pitch for religious freedom and market- style capitalism at Tsinghua University, where he took some questions on Taiwan and his impressions of China from the students there.
“Regardless of where or how these believers worship, they are no threat to public order. In fact, they make good citizens,” Bush said. “My prayer is that all persecution will end so that all in China are free to gather and worship as they wish.”
Jiang had said earlier that Chinese have freedom of religion, but also needed to follow the law. “There are many religious believers in China,” he was quoted as saying by the state news agency Xinhua. The Taiwan question also figured in Bush visit, with the two countries apparently agreeing to disagree on the matter.
Other sticky points between China and Washington are Beijing’s objections to US plans for a national defence system, which it says will undermine its own missile programme. Defence experts say China possesses 20 long-range missiles able to strike at the US West Coast. Beijing also complains that the US views China as a threat and is determined to contain its rise as a global power - indeed, Chinese officials this week said Beijing was no threat to other nations. —Dawn/InterPress Service.