Social Sciences
After a year of rapprochement under the Obama Administration, US-China relations are at a new low. It all looked so much more amiable last November with a state visit to Beijing and hopes of progress on trade issues, but the less-than-satisfactory Copenhagen Climate Change Conference in December displayed the true impasse that Obama faces in his second year.
APP Visiting Fellow
- Japan Urged To Take Pride In Admitting To Troubled Past
On January 12th, Kyodo News interviewed APP member Columbia University Professor Gerald Curtis. He described Japan's ties with China and South Korea as "worrisome," with the "history issue" as an underlying factor. His advice was for Japan to...
- How China Can Learn To Stop Worrying And Live With Noda
Western Japan experts and journalists have responded to the rapid rise of the formerly low-profile Yoshihiko Noda, who earlier this month become Japan?s sixth Prime Minister in five years, with a quick consensus: the self-effacing former Finance Minister...
- Greening China
Michael Davidson, formerly a Visiting Fellow at Asia Policy Point, is now the China Climate Fellow at the Natural Resources Defense Council in Washington. He supports NRDC?s 30-person Beijing staff on a host of environmental and energy-related issues,...
- Google Pulls Out Of China?sort Of
Google announced on March 22nd that it had ended prolonged negotiations with the Chinese government and would no longer censor its search engine. This historic decision has been praised by liberals and conservatives alike for its principled stance against...
- Dalai Lama Visits Washington
The go-to events in Washington this week all have to do with the visiting Dalai Lama. He is in Washington from the 17th to 19th. Then he continues on to Los Angeles and Florida for speaking and teaching engagements. On Thursday, the 18th, he will meet...
Social Sciences
Ball's in Obama's court as China freezes out fair play
It is becoming clear that China doesn't want to play ball with Obama.
Compromises ? even on long-standing sources of tension ? will not necessarily be returned in kind.
The Chinese New Year of 2009 began with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton optimistic of the two countries pulling together. Goodwill continued in the Treasury Department with the establishment and first round of the Strategic and Economic Dialogue. Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced plans for a US-China Clean Energy Research Center over the Summer, and Obama?s visit in November was marked by apparent progress on North Korea.
After there was preliminary agreement on the idea of backing a comprehensive plan to fight global warming, two weeks of stalled negotiations had led to no agreement. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao was unable to make critical decisions on the final day of tense negotiations upon Obama?s arrival for the same reason Obama came out with the unambitious emissions targets of the House Waxman-Markey Bill: fear of non-approval back home. What followed, in a well-publicized account, was the Chinese delegation literally standing up the President.
In domino-style effect after this public embarrassment, Google threatened to pull out of China over Internet censorship prompting Clinton to deliver a resounding indictment of Beijing last week. Legislation in the House (H.R. 4504) introduced Tuesday by Rep. Bill Foster (D-IL) (a friend of Obama?s) calls for FCC to ?restrict repressive Internet search providers.? Arms sales to Taiwan delayed since 2001 are reported to be finalized soon. And the Dalai Lama?s possible visit with Obama has Beijing on the defensive frantically resuming talks with the Tibetan leader?s representatives after a 15-month hiatus.
On the climate change front, earlier this month, in what was viewed as a conciliatory gesture towards the US and other parties upset at Copenhagen, China removed its vice foreign minister who stonewalled Obama as Wen was meeting with BRIC countries behind closed doors. However, following He Yafei?s ?demotion? to the New York office, He (still a vice foreign minister) was still expounding on the global economy with Chinese news agencies on January 21. Su Wei, the lead climate change negotiator for China, appears to still be in place and is remaining quiet for the time being.
The end of January is the deadline for participating Copenhagen Accord countries to put forth their carbon emission targets. Thus, soon we will know China?s real commitment to global, cooperative climate policy. It is likely given their handling of the Copenhagen backlash that their policy will show no change.
Fulbright Fellow, China '08-'09The Chinese New Year of 2009 began with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton optimistic of the two countries pulling together. Goodwill continued in the Treasury Department with the establishment and first round of the Strategic and Economic Dialogue. Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced plans for a US-China Clean Energy Research Center over the Summer, and Obama?s visit in November was marked by apparent progress on North Korea.
After there was preliminary agreement on the idea of backing a comprehensive plan to fight global warming, two weeks of stalled negotiations had led to no agreement. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao was unable to make critical decisions on the final day of tense negotiations upon Obama?s arrival for the same reason Obama came out with the unambitious emissions targets of the House Waxman-Markey Bill: fear of non-approval back home. What followed, in a well-publicized account, was the Chinese delegation literally standing up the President.
In domino-style effect after this public embarrassment, Google threatened to pull out of China over Internet censorship prompting Clinton to deliver a resounding indictment of Beijing last week. Legislation in the House (H.R. 4504) introduced Tuesday by Rep. Bill Foster (D-IL) (a friend of Obama?s) calls for FCC to ?restrict repressive Internet search providers.? Arms sales to Taiwan delayed since 2001 are reported to be finalized soon. And the Dalai Lama?s possible visit with Obama has Beijing on the defensive frantically resuming talks with the Tibetan leader?s representatives after a 15-month hiatus.
On the climate change front, earlier this month, in what was viewed as a conciliatory gesture towards the US and other parties upset at Copenhagen, China removed its vice foreign minister who stonewalled Obama as Wen was meeting with BRIC countries behind closed doors. However, following He Yafei?s ?demotion? to the New York office, He (still a vice foreign minister) was still expounding on the global economy with Chinese news agencies on January 21. Su Wei, the lead climate change negotiator for China, appears to still be in place and is remaining quiet for the time being.
The end of January is the deadline for participating Copenhagen Accord countries to put forth their carbon emission targets. Thus, soon we will know China?s real commitment to global, cooperative climate policy. It is likely given their handling of the Copenhagen backlash that their policy will show no change.
The significant change, however, will be how other countries view China?s representations. Beijing?s obstructionist behavior at Copenhagen may invite repercussions at the upcoming climate change meeting this May in Bonn.
The question is how Obama will play this new game.
Michael Davidson
Michael Davidson
APP Visiting Fellow
- Japan Urged To Take Pride In Admitting To Troubled Past
On January 12th, Kyodo News interviewed APP member Columbia University Professor Gerald Curtis. He described Japan's ties with China and South Korea as "worrisome," with the "history issue" as an underlying factor. His advice was for Japan to...
- How China Can Learn To Stop Worrying And Live With Noda
Western Japan experts and journalists have responded to the rapid rise of the formerly low-profile Yoshihiko Noda, who earlier this month become Japan?s sixth Prime Minister in five years, with a quick consensus: the self-effacing former Finance Minister...
- Greening China
Michael Davidson, formerly a Visiting Fellow at Asia Policy Point, is now the China Climate Fellow at the Natural Resources Defense Council in Washington. He supports NRDC?s 30-person Beijing staff on a host of environmental and energy-related issues,...
- Google Pulls Out Of China?sort Of
Google announced on March 22nd that it had ended prolonged negotiations with the Chinese government and would no longer censor its search engine. This historic decision has been praised by liberals and conservatives alike for its principled stance against...
- Dalai Lama Visits Washington
The go-to events in Washington this week all have to do with the visiting Dalai Lama. He is in Washington from the 17th to 19th. Then he continues on to Los Angeles and Florida for speaking and teaching engagements. On Thursday, the 18th, he will meet...