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Posted on 04/01/2004 6:29:58 PM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach
BEIJING (AP) - Three years after a collision between an American spy plane and a Chinese fighter jet pushed relations to a new low, Beijing and Washington are squabbling over human rights, visa policies and U.S. weapons sales to Taiwan. This time, though, a delicate web of mutual self-interest - including fighting terrorism and encouraging trade - means both governments want to keep chronic disputes from spinning out of control as happened on April 1, 2001. The anniversary of the collision of the U.S. EP-3 surveillance craft and the Chinese J-7 fighter off southern China comes as the American and Chinese militaries increase their interactions. But China has hardly forgotten. "It greatly impacted and negatively affected China-U.S. relations," Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan said. "We have asked the United States to refrain from sending spy planes into Chinese territory. That position remains unchanged." So do the continual mid-level spats between Beijing and Washington, partners in diplomacy and trade who still eye each other suspiciously and critically. In the past two weeks, China has suspended human rights dialogue with Washington for indicating it would seek a U.N. resolution criticizing Beijing's recent rights record. It has rebuked the United States for congratulating Taiwan on carrying out its election successfully. On Tuesday, the Chinese government slapped fresh restrictions on American visa-seekers in retaliation for a U.S. program meant to fight terrorism by fingerprinting visa applicants from dozens of countries, including China. And on Thursday, Beijing cautioned Washington against sending the "wrong message" to Taipei after a Pentagon agency approved the sale of a $1.7 billion early-warning radar system to the island. Most of the grousing is pure politics, one Chinese government adviser suggests. "There are recent problems in Sino-U.S. relations because of the election year and the political situation in the United States. Every American election year has impacted relations to some extent," said Zhang Yebai of the Research Institute of America at the government-funded Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Recent disputes "aroused the resentment of the Chinese people," Zhang said. "After Sept. 11, we understand the increased American security measures. We're all concerned about terrorism," Kong said. "But we don't think measures like fingerprinting are necessary for China." The Taiwan issue rankles China more than anything else. The island operates as a sovereign nation but is claimed by Beijing, which has threatened to take it by force if it moves toward formal independence. The sides split amid civil war in 1949. A Taiwanese election last month that handed an apparent narrow victory to incumbent Chen Shui-bian - Beijing's most reviled figure of the moment - was bad enough for the Chinese government. The announcement of the radar system only made things more tense. "China expresses strong displeasure and firm opposition," the official Xinhua News Agency said Thursday. China objects to any foreign weapons sales to Taiwan. The United States has no formal relations with the island but is its biggest arms supplier and is committed by law to help it defend itself. A Pentagon statement said the radar sale wouldn't affect the regional military balance - a key issue for Washington, which wants to avoid an arms race. Beijing plans to "seek clarification" from the American government. Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, meeting with Secretary of State Colin Powell in Berlin on Wednesday, urged Washington to "oppose Taiwan independence" and "refrain from any official contact with the Taiwan authorities." Despite the mutual irritation, no one is suggesting China-U.S. relations are in serious trouble. Military exchanges have recovered since the spy plane incident, which killed a Chinese fighter pilot. The Americans landed their plane; its 24 crew members were detained for 11 days. Military ties now reach the highest levels - the chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Chinese defense minister recently traded visits. And Vice President Dick Cheney is due in Beijing this month. "The Chinese government certainly wants stable relations between Beijing and Washington," said Zhang. "Bumps are both unavoidable and understandable. But if these issues are not politicized, the overall relationship will not be damaged."
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The Dems and the partisan media now act as if there were no priorities other than al-Qaeda.
Right!
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