Editorials

US patching things up

(China Daily)
Updated: 2010-04-01 07:48

China's warm response to the positive remarks by United States President Barack Obama and other US officials this week indicates that Beijing is willing to work with Washington to bring bilateral ties out of troubled waters.

Obama said the US-China relationship is both comprehensive and important after he met with China's new ambassador Zhang Yesui on Monday. Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg told reporters in Washington that the US position on the one-China policy remains unchanged. Steinberg also reaffirmed that Washington considers Tibet a part of China and does not support the "independence of Tibet".

It's been widely publicized that the crux of the tension between the two countries was Washington's multibillion-dollar arms sale to Taiwan and Obama's meeting with the Dalai Lama. Recently, visits by high-ranking officials from both sides have helped bridge the gap between the two nations and help renew efforts to strengthen bilateral ties. The conciliatory remarks from Obama and other US officials will hasten the healing process.

The China-US relationship is undoubtedly the most important bilateral ties currently in the world. After so many ups and downs, Washington should have learned by now that each step back in their relations has been triggered by its disrespect of and interference into Beijing's core interests. This is essentially why ties have gone through such a bumpy ride.

The stable growth in ties not only caters to the interests of the two countries but also plays an important role in world peace and its development.

Without participation and cooperation between the two, it's no exaggeration that many international initiatives tackling a number of major global crises would not have succeeded.

Thus, a warmer Sino-US relationship is a result all in the international community wish to see. To our delight, Washington and Beijing are working toward that direction now.

(China Daily 04/01/2010 page8)