Hu calls the shots in US- editorial-The Pioneer

Hu calls the shots in US

After an acrimonious year in bilateral relations, Chinese President Hu Jintao’s four- day state visit to the United States last week came as a welcome relief, as it arrested the gradual worsening of US-China relations, at least for the time being. The past year saw both countries being suspicious of the other’s intentions: The Americans feared the Chinese were stealing their jobs and vying for the number one position in the global order while the Chinese imagined the Americans as trying to ‘contain’ their growth as a global power. However, Mr Hu Jintao’s visit saw the two leaders engage in greater cooperation over the management of several thorny issues. The meeting was especially successful for Mr Hu Jintao, who had, however, only limited goals — first, he wanted to be bestowed with the full honours that are reserved for leaders of powerful countries; and, second, he wanted to present China as an influential global investor that is more than the world’s biggest sweatshop. On both counts, he got what he wanted. Unlike his 2006 visit, when former President George Bush treated him to a business lunch of sorts, this time around President Barack Obama organised a full state dinner, replete with a 21-gun salute, a notable guest list and an impressive line-up of jazz musicians. The symbolism associated with an official state dinner was important for Mr Hu Jintao, who is looking to solidify his foreign policy legacy as he transfers leadership to Vice-President Xi Jinping in 2012. In the latter part of his trip, he visited Chicago, which is home to at least 30 Chinese businesses while some 300 Chicago-area corporations operate in China, in an obvious attempt to revamp his country’s image. Interestingly, he also visited an elite public school — Walter Payton College Prep, which hosts the Confucius Institute, a global chain of Chinese cultural centres nurtured by the Chinese Government to spread the influence of a potential global superpower. It seems like Beijing’s effort is already bearing fruit as Mr Hu Jintao did not need a translator when he spoke to Walter Payton’s students since all of them are attending Mandarin classes.

However, it is still unclear if the US got what it wanted. Compared to Beijing, Washington, DC had a much longer wish-list that included concessions on several contentious issues such as relations with North Korea, a devalued Renminbi and China’s poor human rights record. As expected, Mr Hu Jintao made some flaky promises and skirted most issues — for example, while agreeing that China still has a long way to go on human rights he made no commitment on releasing imprisoned Nobel Laureate Liu Xiaobo. Similarly, he would not condemn North Korea’s attack on a South Korean warship but expressed concern over its uranium enrichment plant. Overall, there is no clear indication that the Chinese are re-evaluating their policies.

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