US and China: Room for optimism?

Chris Danielson

9/23/2015

US and China: Room for optimism?

With the arrival of China's president, Xi Jinping, for the first time on American soil, many are interested in the looming meeting between him and President Obama, where cybercrime and the militarization along the South China Sea are expected to be the main topics discussed.

While many are skeptical of China's intentions and trustworthiness, and therefore, the effectiveness of the meetings, I'd like to play devil's advocate for a moment and provide some reasons why I believe the discussions will be a push in the right direction in strengthening the shaky relationship between the US and China.

First, with the recent surge in economic power over the past few decades, and an equally impressive growth in their military, thanks to their staggering population of 1.3 billion people, it's easy to become intimidated by China's rapid ascension among the top of the world's key players. However, it is also easy to forget that this type of growth is difficult to maintain, at least, economically. China's economy is beginning to slow down and as CNN reports, its market has shed 45% since June. This couldn't have come at a better time for the US, who just last year, was in danger of being surpassed by China as the economic superpower of the world. Fast forward a year, and the US has regained some leverage as this recent decline in China's economy increases its dependence on foreign markets, especially the United States'.

I think it's also easy to forget Obama's visit to China last year also resulted in the US and China negotiating an agreement in which both sides agreed to reduce their energy emissions, the US by 28% by 2025 and China's by 20% by 2030. While this might not seem to be a big deal to anyone but tree-huggers, it implies two things to me. First, that China and the US have finally found something that they could agree upon, and that small steps are usually the beginning towards strengthening any relationship, especially among those between known rivals. Second, and perhaps more important, it showed me that China may be starting to begin to realize the limits of its economic potential, at least, domestically, and therefore, more open towards negotiating with the US.

I think this meeting between Jinping and Obama could prove to be another milestone in overcoming the US and China's differences, because I've also been learning that next major market for China would be in the field of technology, in which the US is the leader. However, it's up to Obama's ability to negotiate artfully and skillfully, as China has a propensity to say one thing and do another.

This is why discussing cyberwarfare and China's recent attacks on personal information and intellectual property is essential on ensuring the continued co-dependence between the US and China. In order for it to work, I expect the US to force the Chinese to give them a way of monitoring their actions in order to prevent the potential theft of patents. Otherwise, China could theoretically steal our ideas, and our markets along with it, in an attempt to once again propel themselves to the top of the economic ladder.

With the stakes so high, it's understandable why there's a sense of growing pessimism and distrust of China by the American public. However, I believe with China over the past year beginning to open themselves up to negotiations with the US, that it could be a step in the right decision. It is up to us to tread lightly.