US, Chinese approach to ties sharply differ

Senior Chinese and US government officials had been speaking and writing on China-US relations in the run-up to President Xi Jinping's state visit to the United States. The tone of senior US officials, including a policy speech by National Security Advisor Susan Rice at George Washington University on Monday, has seen a clear shift toward a more positive and cooperative plane despite the media's obsession with the South China Sea issue and cyber hacking.

It is a pity that speeches by Rice and other US officials are not widely covered, let alone broadcast live, by US media outlets. Nevertheless, stronger emphasis on expanding cooperation while effectively managing differences is a welcome sign.

It doesn't take a careful reader much to see that there are major differences in the Chinese and American styles of approaching bilateral relations.