Work hard to push Sino-US relations forward
--Conversation with US ambassador to China Max Baucus

I am pleased to welcome you to our institute, Mr. Ambassador. You have heavy burdens on your shoulders, helping to shape the future of Sino-US relations. I see three possibilities of this relationship going forward: the first one is retrogression, the second is stagnation with many troubles and the third one is making progress.

Our relations have come a long way with many twists and turns, which I don’t think we have the time to make a complete account of today. I’d just like to point out that despite the ups and downs, our relationship has surged ahead and the leaders of both countries recognize have valuable the relationship is. That is the basic fact. But how should we approach and handle our relationship in the second decade of the 21^st century, that is, in the next six years? As an observer and researcher, I would like to say very succinctly that it is time that the leaders of China and the US make a “fundamental decision” about our relationship. By fundamental I mean that this decision is not a superficial, inconsequential one that can be easily breached for convenience. Rather, it is about a strategic judgment and strategic determination that is both realistic and forward-looking, and is holistic and above trivial details.

I will make three points about the specific content of the “fundamental decision”. First, we must well define the strategic importance of our relations, with clear consensus and language. Secondly, we must work hard to implement the important agreements made between our two countries in areas such as trade and economy, military-to-military contact and climate change. Thirdly, the two countries should consider to make a joint declaration on their bilateral relations and on their attitudes to Asia-Pacific issues and global issues.

But of course we see duality in this complicated development. Take the Asia Pacific for example, on the one hand, President Obama said that military alliance with Japan is the “cornerstone” of regional security, and on the other hand, he said cooperation with China is the “core” of security in this region. I don’t see how these two statements are compatible and if the US will continue like this in 2015? In fact, the litmus test would soon come. What are you going to say to Abe when he visits the US in April and what would you say to Chinese President Xi during his visit in September?

As to what you and I can do together for our cooperation, I noticed what the ambassador said about “engaging China with eyes wide open”. In fact, I advocate seeing China as it is in reality. For example, in November 2013, our institute, together with Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs and the 21^st Century Council, organized a successful international forum on Understanding China in Beijing. Dozens of influential foreign political, strategic, academic and media leaders attended the event. Chinese President Xi Jinping met with the foreign participants and held a discussion with them. Premier Li keqiang addressed the opening ceremony and more than ten Chinese senior officials from the party, the government and the military shared their views with the audience. This is to welcome and encourage foreign friends to open their eyes to China as it is.

Lastly, as a friend, I would like to bring your attention to two statements. One is “two overall situations”, which refers to our respective domestic situations and the international situation. We mustn’t lose sight of the overall situations when handle our relations, because it is impossible to set straight every small difference and disagreement. We can only hope to shape the general direction of our relations by getting a handle on the overall situations. The other is what Deng Xiaoping said that “after all US-China relations will have to improve”. I believe this has become the established policy of the Chinese leadership and will not easily change just because of complications in the international arena. Of course, as I said, there is duality to the matters in the world. The world is complex and many different factors are at play. We must look at things from multiple perspectives instead of just one perspective. On our side, we are willing to work hard to make sure that Sino-US relations will move forward and not stagnate or go backward. But the result will depend on what President Obama will do.

This is an excerpt from Chairman Zheng Bijian’s conversation with visiting US ambassador to China Max Baucus in Beijing on February 27, 2015.