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Sino-US relations

(China Daily)
Updated: 2011-01-17 08:05

An opinion poll, jointly conducted by China Daily and the Beijing-based Horizon Research Consultancy Group, provides a mirror to reflect upon the trajectory of public opinion in China in regard to the relationship between China and the United States last year.

While the majority of those polled deemed bilateral ties very important and saw a relatively bright future for them, the respondents recommended that the situation on the Korean Peninsula, the Taiwan question and imbalanced trade should be the priorities for the leaders of the two countries when they meet in Washington later this week.

The survey, released prior to Chinese President Hu Jintao's state visit to the US, starting on Wednesday, aims to shed light on the attitudes of the Chinese people toward the US. Given the power of public opinion, this poll has positive implications for the smooth growth of bilateral ties and can serve as a barometer for decision-makers on both sides.

The favorable Chinese public opinion towards bilateral ties has its root in the increasing contacts and co-operation between the two governments and the two peoples.

On the official level, both sides established more than 60 dialogue and consultation mechanisms. Hu and his US counterpart Barack Obama have met seven times in the past two years and exchanged views through other channels on many occasions.

China and the US, as the second largest trade partner of the other, saw their trade volume reach $385.3 billion last year, 160 times the amount when they first forged official ties more than 30 years ago. The two have also conducted effective collaborations on regional and international issues through bilateral and multilateral platforms. On the individual level, there are 3 million people-to-people exchanges every year. At present, some 120,000 Chinese students are studying in the US, while China is the home to 20,000 US students.

With the changing of the global political and economic landscape, Sino-US relations now go well beyond the boundaries of bilateral ties and assume global significance. As two important players in the world arena, closer co-operation on a wide range of fields should define the theme of bilateral ties and serve as a win-win strategy for decision-makers on both sides.

As two countries with different social systems and cultural backgrounds, it is natural that frictions arise from time to time. Last year was an eventful year for Sino-US relations. Most of the Chinese respondents held that Sino-US relations had deteriorated compared to the year before, and that Washington should shoulder most of the responsibility for this.

Looking to the future, the two giants should deepen mutual understanding and appropriately handle their differences so as to usher in brighter prospects for bilateral ties.