All hope is not lost for US and an emboldened China to make amends

Sino-American relations have been on a rollercoaster ride during the Barack Obama administration. At the outset of Obama's term as president, ties between the two powers seemed to be on steady footing. But keep in mind that the honeymoon between the US and Beijing was set against the global financial crisis, when bilateral cooperation was vital. Many problems were masked by the collective effort to stop the economy's hemorrhaging.

Since China's economic outlook has turned rosier now, hidden conflicts have risen to the surface. After Obama's visit to China last November, relations have plunged to a new low, mainly because of disputes on climate change, bilateral trade, Internet censorship, the arms sale to Taiwan and Obama's meeting with the Dalai Lama.

Obama's initial policy toward China in early 2009 raised expectations that both sides would work cooperatively. The US expected China to have its full support on many issues, and China hoped that the US would show more respect to its core interests and treat the nation with fairness.