Positive cooperation

Chinese President Hu Jintao completed a State visit to the United States yesterday. The importance of the visit extends beyond the shores of both countries for Sino-US relations would have a considerable influence on the substance and nature of global developments in our present century.

The United States is the world's sole super-power at present. It is an imperial power with the most developed and sophisticated military weaponry and technology with hundreds of bases straddled throughout the continents and oceans and thousands of troops in numerous countries. Besides hard military power it commands soft power of considerable strength to enforce its diktat in most areas of the globe.

China, on the other hand, is the emerging giant almost outstripping the United States in economic might and commanding equal, if not more political clout, especially in the developing countries. Besides the centre of gravity of world production has already shifted to China with the United States relegated to the position of a client State providing China with consumer and industrial goods. While the United States is passing through an economic and financial crisis which has made it to be heavily dependent on China for capital and markets the latter has seen unprecedented two-digit growth for over a decade. While the US hegemony is on the wane China has not displayed any hegemonic ambitions despite its growing strength.

Whether relations between these two States, by far the most powerful both economically and politically, would be governed by principles of peaceful co-existence and detente or whether they would be marked by antagonism and confrontation would affect all countries in the world, big or small, developed or underdeveloped.

Despite historically inherited deep political, ideological and military antagonisms the two States are at present in a state of mutual inter-dependence for a number of reasons.

Though skeptics had attempted to ignore the visit as unimportant and highlighted deep mistrust and animosities that existed or that still exist between them, the outcome has been quite the opposite. Notwithstanding the real and perceived differences in outlook, opinion and strategy the two countries have pledged to cooperate productively.

President HU expressing the objectives of his visit at the State dinner given in his honour in Washington remarked: "Purpose of my visit is to increase mutual trust, enhance friendship, deepen cooperation and advance the positive, cooperative and comprehensive China - US relationship for the 21st Century".

It is this very idea that is found in the China - US Joint Communique signed at the end of his visit. It said: "The two Presidents reaffirmed their commitment to building a positive, cooperative and comprehensive China - US relationship for the 21st Century, which serves the interests of the Chinese and American peoples and of the global community".

The objectives changes that have taken place in the world have their imprint in the joint communique. For example, the way they see each other illustrates it aptly when it says: "The United States reiterated that it welcomes a strong, prosperous and successful China that plays a greater role in world affairs. China welcomes the United States as an Asia-Pacific nation that contributes to peace, stability and prosperity in the region".

All issues, including those that are considered contentious were included in the communique. "The United States stressed that the promotion of human rights and democracy is an important part of its foreign policy. China stressed that there should be no interference in any country's internal affairs. China and the United States underscored that each country and its people have the right to choose their own path and all countries should respect each other's choice of a development model.

Benefits to the two countries from the visit were also mutual. The United States made trade deals worth US $ 45 billion signing some 70 agreements benefiting both countries. These include a massive US $ 19 billion worth orders for supplying China with 200 Boeing aircraft.

For President Obama it is a political bonanza since these deals could generate 235,000 jobs in the United States where unemployment has risen to about 10 percent.

The development of this cooperative relationship between the world's two most powerful nations augurs well for stability and peace in the world. It will benefit all countries, including Sri Lanka so that they could concentrate all their efforts at development to ensure the well-being of their peoples untrammeled without being haunted by the nightmare of a world conflagration.