The first formal meeting between Barack Obama and the Chinese President, Hu Jintao, is taking place today; yesterday night, both presidents had a 'private' dinner at the White House.
Despite their differences, both state leaders hope to promote a friendly atmosphere in order to facilitate a smoother relationship between the two current world superpowers.
The Fresh Outlook spoke to experts in the US-China relations to better understand the real interests and incomes that both can expect from each other.
“Our analysts agree that the main aim of those meetings between Obama and Hu is to promote again a positive relationship. The most important thing now for both countries is to go back on track in their relationship,” said Dr Elizabeth C. Economy, Senior Fellow and Director for Asia Studies and the Council on Foreign Relations; “Last year was a difficult one and both countries should bring back a sense of stability.”
John Feffer, Asia Expert and co-director of Foreign Policy in Focus at the Institute for Policy Studies, told The Fresh Outlook that he considers the main issues arising from those meetings will be the economy, North Korea and the environment. Dr Economy also believes that Iran is another common interest on their “to-do list”.
Regarding their economic interests, both countries have a mutual dependence relationship. Mr Feffer suggests that while the US needs Chinese investment, China needs Americans to continue buying their products and stimulate their economy.
The second issue is North Korea. According to experts, both countries would need to reach an agreement based on mutual support for multilateral negotiations.
Then there are the environmental policies. Dr Economy states that both countries should collaborate regarding energy issues, as well as in “certain measures in order to protect the environment”, adds Mr Feffer.
Apart from these common interests, there are other issues in which both superpowers should “agree to disagree”, says Mr Feffer. Human rights, security issues, and China's interests in other countries are matters that both countries have previously tried to avoid. In fact, the Chinese president already claimed “mutual respect to each other's sovereignty”, as part of his four points to improve relations between China and the US.
Despite these differences, however, both countries are forced to agree because they are big and mutually dependent, believes Mr Feffer.
Dr Economy doesn't agree with this idea: “The US will keep on pressing China with the subjects they disagree on. Also, the values of the US regarding issues such as human rights are the same in most developing countries.”
Experts agree that the following ten years will be very important to the US-China relationship; but Dr Economy warns: “it is not right to focus just in those two countries. The future of China depends on China, but also on how the entire world engages to China.”
China and the US are currently the world's two main superpowers and both aware of this.
“We both stand to gain from a sound China-U.S. relationship, and lose from confrontation,” said the Chinese president in The Wall Street Journal.
Mr Obama acknowledged this by inviting Mr Hu to a private dinner.
By Eva Fernandez
Despite their differences, both state leaders hope to promote a friendly atmosphere in order to facilitate a smoother relationship between the two current world superpowers.
The Fresh Outlook spoke to experts in the US-China relations to better understand the real interests and incomes that both can expect from each other.
“Our analysts agree that the main aim of those meetings between Obama and Hu is to promote again a positive relationship. The most important thing now for both countries is to go back on track in their relationship,” said Dr Elizabeth C. Economy, Senior Fellow and Director for Asia Studies and the Council on Foreign Relations; “Last year was a difficult one and both countries should bring back a sense of stability.”
John Feffer, Asia Expert and co-director of Foreign Policy in Focus at the Institute for Policy Studies, told The Fresh Outlook that he considers the main issues arising from those meetings will be the economy, North Korea and the environment. Dr Economy also believes that Iran is another common interest on their “to-do list”.
Regarding their economic interests, both countries have a mutual dependence relationship. Mr Feffer suggests that while the US needs Chinese investment, China needs Americans to continue buying their products and stimulate their economy.
The second issue is North Korea. According to experts, both countries would need to reach an agreement based on mutual support for multilateral negotiations.
Then there are the environmental policies. Dr Economy states that both countries should collaborate regarding energy issues, as well as in “certain measures in order to protect the environment”, adds Mr Feffer.
Apart from these common interests, there are other issues in which both superpowers should “agree to disagree”, says Mr Feffer. Human rights, security issues, and China's interests in other countries are matters that both countries have previously tried to avoid. In fact, the Chinese president already claimed “mutual respect to each other's sovereignty”, as part of his four points to improve relations between China and the US.
Despite these differences, however, both countries are forced to agree because they are big and mutually dependent, believes Mr Feffer.
Dr Economy doesn't agree with this idea: “The US will keep on pressing China with the subjects they disagree on. Also, the values of the US regarding issues such as human rights are the same in most developing countries.”
Experts agree that the following ten years will be very important to the US-China relationship; but Dr Economy warns: “it is not right to focus just in those two countries. The future of China depends on China, but also on how the entire world engages to China.”
China and the US are currently the world's two main superpowers and both aware of this.
“We both stand to gain from a sound China-U.S. relationship, and lose from confrontation,” said the Chinese president in The Wall Street Journal.
Mr Obama acknowledged this by inviting Mr Hu to a private dinner.
By Eva Fernandez
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