Before America and China embrace each other, there has to be true mutual respect, as distinguished from politically expedient respect, that is mutually beneficial. This is one critical relationship that cannot flourish by being limited to words alone. It is one that has to be based and developed on geopolitical and economic facts. The domestic political reality of each country ─ verbal and factual ─ are the special national sauces each has to get used to, and trust.
Wikileaks release of U.S. State Department highly classified confidential cables didn’t do much to restore any of the already eroding trust. Accusing China’s Politburo of directing the 2010 cyber intrusions into Google’s computer systems as part of a “coordinated campaign of computer sabotage carried out by government operatives, private security experts and internet outlaws,” something I had warned would happen in Custom Maid War and Feasting Dragon, Starving Eagle, is again shifting blame and responsibility from where it belongs ─ Washington and the Pentagon.
Mutual suspicion gets neither anywhere, especially closer to each other, which is not really surprising. Both have to change politically and meet each other half way, politically and economically. Both have to co-operate and reciprocate more ─ and learn from each other.
Positive reinforcement with co-operative positive acts repeatedly reinforced by each other are a lot more constructive and productive than political duplicity where the cheating by one party results in the other responding in kind ─ tit-for-tat.
American arms deals with Taiwan do not motivate China to restrain North Korea. After all, if America doesn’t listen, why should China? The fact that Obama has met with Hu more than any other foreign leader since the start of his presidency is meaningless if no trust is developed because of the failure of America to listen. China is not receptive to lectures, especially when America doesn’t listen.
America refuses to sell its high tech technology to China. So why is America surprised when China refuses to sell its precious rare earths to Japan?
Presidents Barack Obama and Hu Jintao, can and must turn a new cooperative page They both have to start trusting and respecting each other and their respective domestic agendas as national leaders if they want to leave a legacy of being the builders of the Sino-American bridge for constructive global leadership in the 21st-century.