Foreign and Military Affairs

Chinese media quiz US ambassador over arms deal

By Wu Jiao (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-02-03 09:00
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Jon Huntsman, the US ambassador to China, spent a considerable part of his Tuesday afternoon talking with a dozen carefully selected representatives of the Chinese media, in the latest attempt by the US to repair bilateral relations that have been severely damaged by the arms sale to Taiwan.

During his nearly 40-minute interview, the ambassador highlighted the positive aspects of bilateral cooperation between the two countries no less than 20 times, yet he shied away from any questions on the row between the two countries.

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In his answers to six questions on various topics, Huntsman skillfully worded his answer to empathize how good relations between the two countries used to be and the significance of cooperative Sino-US relations.

"The last year has been properly spent, building confidence and relations we all know there have been a few challenges, a few areas of disagreement but we should stick to the bigger picture of bilateral relations always being important," Hunstman said.

The ambassador also spared no effort in telling his Chinese media audience that disputes are common in any big relationship, such as the one between the US and its biggest trade partner Canada, and he pointed out that the relationship between China and the US matters not just to those two countries but also the world, as "so many people around the world rely on the US and China".

The ambassador also sought to remind the audience from time to time that the arms sale to Taiwan "should not be a surprise" as there was plenty of discussion beforehand.

Even when faced with a furious question from a metro newspaper on what the US should do to regain trust from China after "continuously slapping its face", Huntsman devoted a considerable part of his answer to the importance of "open discussion" and "heart-to-heart and mind-to-mind understanding".

But the ambassador was soon cornered again by another question asking whether 30 years of such discussions has given the US any real understanding of China's core interests.

The ambassador also spent time explaining to his audience how the Taiwan deal will need to be approved in the US, with the different branches of government and the congress all playing a role in finalizing the deal.

Only reporters with major influence were allowed to attend the news briefing, and all were from carefully selected media - some have a clear national perspective; some are the best selling metro publications, and the rest are the Party's flagship media outlets.