China-U.S. bilateral relations in the late twentieth century

China-U.S. bilateral relationship

The past one decade of the 20th century has witnessed dramatic fluctuations in the China-U.S. relations. For instance, the Taiwan Strait led to several summit meetings to take place in Washington and Beijing to decide the fate of the countries. Additionally, the decade ended with the relationship facing serious challenges including a U.S. congressional investigation on the contribution of the Chinese government to the U.S. campaigns (Huang 2000). An important note is that, their bilateral trade relations have become a challenge in recent years owing to several issues. The issues include the large and developing U.S. trade deficit with China, rebellion by China to appreciate its currency to market standards, China's inconsistency in executing WTO obligations, infringement of U.S. rational chattels, and many Chinese industrial policies that impose new restrictions on foreign companies (Khalizad 1999). Owing to the relationship the two countries have, I felt this was an interesting one because at a time, the U.S. was against China, but another time the two countries chose to settle their differences (Friedberg 2005). This paper examines the U.S.-China relations since the contemporary period, and explores the importance of the U.S. concerning China's strategic and economic growth. Information gathered from print sources will provide issues of priority to the two countries, and subsequently demonstrate how the significance of the U.S.-China relationship. In addition, the paper will provide an overview of the U.S.-China relations and identify important issues that once made their relationship fragile, but later on joined hands for the good of the globe.

Overview of China-U.S. Relationship

The relationship between the United States and China touches on a broad series of issues such as security, trade, economic issues, environmental and human rights issue. In additional, the two countries base their relations on a wider range of things including politics, trade, military and sub-national relations. However, since the founding of the People's Republic of China, the relationship between the two countries was not aligned for development. In spite of this, based on five principles of peaceful co-existence, the two super-powers have managed to cope with each other (Huang 2000).

Additionally, since the establishment of diplomatic bonds, the relationship is moving steadily despite some apparent twists. Therefore, the two countries have managed to conduct extensive development exchanges locally and internationally. Currently, the relationship is assuming significant worldwide influence and strategic dimensions (Friedberg 2005). Contrary to passed eras, the emergence of new superpowers has often resulted to variance. The new leader of China, Xi Jinping emphasizes for a U.S. commitment to a "new approach of substantial country relationship" with the United States, which opts to stay away from such a result.

Into the bargain, the Obama leadership has regularly assured China that the U.S. "welcomes a firm, flourishing and triumphant China that plays an important task in world associations," and the U.S. is not finding ways to put off China's comeback as a great power. In the same context, China pledges to pursue "path of peaceful development." However, U.S. finds itself in a tough situation on how to engage with China concerning stability and security challenges in the Asia-Pacific region. Some of the issues of concern by the U.S. include the intentions behind China's military modernization approach, the use of China's military forces in disputes over terror attacks by its neighbors, and China's threat to control Taiwan.

Although the two powers work together to address world affairs, there are notable differences when it comes to their way of perceiving things. However, China and the U.S. have worked closely to revive the global economy, devised ways to combat climate change and develop clean energy technologies. It is important to note that the two powers tend to disagree on which way to tackle human rights issues. While the U.S. suggests that China should ease constraints on freedom of speech, internet freedom, religious expression, and ethnic minorities, China perceives that the most important aim of the U.S. is to eliminate Communist Party Rule.

The Human Rights Issue

The human rights issue was the most contentious in the affiliation between the two countries. The U.S. administration was critical of the way the Chinese government treated of rebel, religious groups, racial minorities, workers, accused peoples, inmates, and marital statuses of people and other contemplating matters. A majority of the American suggest that the Chinese government policies in the listed areas contravened the globally identified human rights. In reaction, China came out energetically arguing that other governments should not show concern about their domestic policies, and secondly, the human rights record is commendable due to development made in feeding, educating, clothing and offering medical care to its extensive and its prior poor population (Chen 1992).

Present Priorities between China and USA

Managing North Korea

Owing to the superiority exhibited by the two countries, it is obvious that they contribute greatly to issues arising in the globe. Among the issues is the instability in the Korean Peninsula. The U.S. And China share a common interest in promoting peace in this area. Due to this interest, this issue has managed to become a priority owing to their present relationship. With China, which supplies Korea with fuel and food, the U.S. feels that China will stand a chance to do more in order to leverage the existing relationship with Korea, and subsequently persuade her to avoid provocations and denuclearize. In addition, the U.S. continues to push China to strengthen its execution of United Nations permits against Korea.

The two countries feel that it is not possible for other countries that neighbor Korea to carry out business as usual, with the threat posed by Korea. In response, China supported U.N resolution 2087, which condemned North Korea's rocket launch. In addition, China supported resolution 2094, which subsequently strengthened existing sanctions against Korea's nuclear test. In April 2013, President Xi Jinping warned, "No one has the authority to create worldwide chaos for selfish gains." Additionally, the Bank of China closed North Korea's main foreign-exchange bank (Morrison 2013). The two countries have shown that managing the issue in Korea is an important element, which will enable them, strengthen their ties. Due to its urgency, President Obama and President Xi discussed North Korea at the summit showing that they had prioritized the issue.

Curbing Iran's Nuclear Program

The nuclear program going on in Iran is another issue of priority between the U.S. And China. Since the year 2006, China emerged as a significant player in the United-States efforts to curb the suspected nuclear programs in Iran. China took part in negotiations with Iran as outlined by the United Nations. Although China felt dialogue was way out while the U.S. felt that imposing limited U.N sanctions against the suspected country, the both feel that the nuclear program is a threat to the global peace. For instance, China's perception to Iran is of great significance to the U.S. efforts to pressure the Iranian reign because China is Iran's most significant business partner (Morrison 2013). Although China did not agree to impose bilateral sanctions towards Iran, China decreased its oil import in the year 2002 because of disagreements on the terms of yearly purchase agreements.

Global Economic Issues

Although the U.S. And China economies are the largest in the globe, the global economy continues to deteriorate. This has managed to become an issue of priority between the two countries. Therefore, the U.S. has sought to strengthen its relationship with China in an attempt to rebalance the economy. Some of the global economic issues include the issue of commercial cyber espionage suspected to come from China, China's currency, China's policies and China's fragile execution of rational property rights (Morrison 2013). In a bid to solve the issue, the two countries have embraced the development of Chinese foreign direct investment in the U.S. Into the bargain, the main platforms for discussing the issues are the U.S.-China strategic and Economic Dialogue (S&ED) and the Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT).

Climate Change

The globe has witnessed changes in the normal weather owing to global warming. In addition, the two countries are significant contributors to emissions that result in the changes in weather to extreme levels. Compared to the U.S., China is the globe's largest emitter of the greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide. Owing to this large emission, China turned to reliance on renewable supplies of power such as hydropower (Zhang 2011). With the two countries having significant contribution to almost half of the globe's carbon dioxide emissions, the issue becomes a priority for both of them to take part in reducing the emissions.

President Obama has attempted to join hands with China in addressing climate change and offering working solutions to reduce the challenge. In so doing, the two countries created a new foundation of relationship aimed at solving global climatic issues (Morris 2013). Therefore, the two countries provided a joint statement concerning climate change devoting to "forceful, most appropriate action by the U.S. And China including large-scale cooperative action." In addition, the two countries developed a U.S.-China Climate Change Working Group to find ways to enhance cooperation, to their prioritized issue of climate change.

Importance of the U.S. To China

The U.S.-China relation is a step towards reduction of many global issues that face many developing countries. The relationship between the two countries is a step towards achieving global peace. In addition, the continued good relation is a step towards fighting poverty and many other social issues in the globe. The relationship is one of the earliest civilizations with the largest population, and the U.S. A young country with a stable economy, is essential for the future of the globe at large (Liberthal 1997). However, the U.S. is a major provider to the fiscal expansion, political stability and many other activities that lead to the prosperity of China.

For instance, the United States has a low saving rate. Therefore, China has taken advantage of the low saving rates to invest in the United States, which later on counts to its economic growth. In addition, China has shown that they rely on the U.S. securities because they are safe and liquid (Morris 2013). Strategically, the U.S. is significant to China. This is because in issues, for example, the nuclear program in North Korea, China will need to consult with the U.S. On how to handle such an issue. In addition, China will also require some of the United State's technologies in an attempt to fight terrorism. From a diplomatic point-of-view, the U.S. may support some of the foreign international policies formulated by China.

In addition, owing to the rank U.S. has on the world, then, if it discourages some of the policies formulated by China, the world may perceive China in a different manner making it look bad. Owing to the large population in China, some of its citizens live in the U.S. In such a case, the U.S. stands as a home of the Chinese people. In addition, Chinese-Americans have emerged as a new force in the technology field, education, and science in the United States (Huang 2000). This means that U.S. has contributed in a significant way in educating many of the Chinese people living in America without racial discrimination. Additionally, this will lead to stronger bonds between U.S. And China.

Conclusion

The U.S.-China relation is significant to the well-being of the globe. Although the information presented makes apparent some issues of conflict dating back to the contemporary period, it is evident that the relationship between the two countries continues to thrive. For instance, the issues of priority including the fight to stabilize the climatic changes, is among many other reasons that continue to bring the countries closer (Huang 2000). Some of the issues of conflict between the two countries include the disagreement of the U.S. with the policy issues surrounding human rights.

On the other hand, China is not with agreement with the continued sale of arms to Taiwan by the U.S. Moreover, it is apparent that the U.S. remains a significant contributor to the economic growth of China revealing that the two countries significantly need each other to address the world affairs. In addition, it is important to note that China is growing at a fast rate (Khalizad 1999), but the United States remains a country with the world's largest economy.