China, U.S. should make peace

The 25-year diplomatic relationship between Washington and Beijing has not been entirely smooth, to say the least. The so- called American love affair with China which began with the visit of Richard Nixon has turned nasty in recent months.

Prominent Americans are calling for more restrictions on trading and diplomatic relations with China, on the grounds of human rights abuses.

The good news is that men and women in both countries are working hard to establish a more meaningful relationship. They understand that the future of Asia depends on peace. The four-day visit to Beijing by the chairman of the U.S. joint chiefs of staff is encouraging.

China's undeniable human rights abuses have sparked fears in Washington that China is a threat to global stability. As China grows, and is economy and military, there are valid worries over its policy goals. The idea that China considers Asia its private area of influence is highly troubling.

The most obvious example of this was in March of last year at the time of the Taiwan elections. Beijing over-reacted badly with its provocative military exercises, which it conducted right up to the boundary of Taiwan's territorial waters. The outburst was as unnecessary as it was troubling to China's neighbors. Then there are the territorial disputes, and Beijing's sometimes undiplomatic handling of them.

Alone among the six nations who claim the Spratly Islands, China alleges the others are interfering with its internal affairs when they discuss the issue, or sail ships into the area. This gross over-simplification of an extremely complicated diplomatic problem is not supportable.

In a similar way, Beijing's sudden and unannounced decision to drill for gas in disputed waters off Vietnam was troubling. The astonishing appearance of armed Chinese ships in Spratly Islands waters off the Philippines did little to allay fears of a large China doing what it wants, by force.

The recent colorful appeal by the Malaysian foreign minister should be heeded. Abdullah bin Ahmad Badawi has said the U.S. and China are the elephants of Asia. He appealed to them to make love, rather than argue. That way, he said, only the grass would be trampled, instead of the other animals of the jungle. Indeed, if these two elephants fight, there will be immeasurable harm.

-- The Bangkok Post