WASHINGTON -- The task for U.S. policymakers is to engage China while treating it as a rising great power that could be a legitimate threat. In particular, America needs to continue a policy of engagement and avoid destructive protectionism. Forging a constructive U.S.-China partnership will be the major challenge facing President George W. Bush during his China visit.
The president calls U.S.-China relations "good" but "complex." Lately the emphasis has been on "complex." Yes, U.S.-China relations are "complex," but they have always been so. Allowing Congress to steer those relations only adds to the uncertainty and complexity. The United States needs a firm commitment to engagement, and China needs to adhere to "peaceful development."
Little will be gained by constantly treating China as a threat on the basis of presumed intentions.