Yes but can he?

• Source: Global Times
• [22:49 November 12 2009]
• Comments

Thomas Fingar

Payne Distinguished Lecturer in the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, Stanford University, US

China has changed. I am delighted that he's coming for the series of meetings he's got in the region. But there will be a lot more on his agenda than the financial crisis. You know: climate change, North Korea, Iran, and I would assume, Afghanistan and Pakistan. So there is a wide range of issues.

I actually don't think the visit symbolizes the United States is paying more attention to China. The Obama administration has made clear the importance of reaffirming relationships with its allies, to make clear the importance of multilateral approaches to international problems and that we have friends and partners around the world. We are now sort-of allies. I wouldn't read much more into it than that.

Rana Mitter

professor of modern Chinese history and politics, Oxford University, United Kingdom

China and the US have contradictions, so they should talk. They should solve the problems by talking. But I don't think any violent scenario will happen.

As for climate change, I think we all should agree because we only have one planet. We don't have any other world that we can move to. So there is no need to say more.

Of course China wants to have an influence on the world, the US also wants to have an influence on the world, so do European countries. The ways they do this may be different but they do have one same goal: China, the US and European countries all hope other countries admit one's own status. They all want other countries to respect them. It is more a matter of attitude than of ideology.

I think China and the US must cooperate. China and the US have their respective opinions. They may not agree with each other's. They can cooperate by making dialogue and knowing each other's views.

Actually, it works for any other country. The UK and the US, the UK and France – they all have different opinions in some aspects. All these countries should cooperate.

Courtesy of Huanqiu.com