A long running debate in international politics has been whether or not the U.S. should or is performing the role of an international policeman. However, a new trend is starting to emerge in which the U.S. and China are beginning to collaborate on extinguishing some of the globe’s most urgent crises. While they do not necessary agree on every point, both countries have echoed one another in condemning the North Korean nuclear test which was carried out shortly after the calendar turned over. The two countries also participated together in the first meeting of the Quadrilateral Coordination Group with Afghanistan and Pakistan in an effort to push the forward the Afghani peace process. Yet the possibility of a spark igniting between the two countries is still greater than anybody would want as the two continue to blame one another for the increasing tensions in the South China Sea. So while the two are working together to put out fires in various regions around the globe, effort is still needed to keep their own relationship from bursting into flames. The following summarizes key issues as highlighted by the U.S. and China in January 2016.

 

Agreement and Disagreement in Wake of NK Nuke Test

 

A great amount of attention was drawn to the Korean Peninsula following the North Korean nuclear test, which they claimed to be a hydrogen bomb, on January 6, 2016. The U.S. strongly condemned North Korea’s behavior which it considered a violation of Security Council resolutions and a breach of its international obligations. The U.S. Department of Defense and the Chinese Foreign Ministry stressed the urgent need for coordination with South Korea and the regional key players to pursue every possible option to deter North Korea and ensure the region’s stability. Additional sanctions are also being considered.

 

Although the two countries are united in their opposition to North Korea’s nuclear program, and agree on the imperative of achieving a denuclearized Korean peninsula, Washington regards China’s policy and approach to the DPRK as ineffective, and calls on China to end “business as usual” with Pyongyang. The U.S. and other western countries feel that China should play a greater role in mitigating the North Korean nuclear problem given the special connections and the nature of relations between the two countries. In response, China believes that dialogue and negotiations, within the framework of the six-party talks, remain the most effective and prominent way to realize denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.

 

Both Countries Seek to Stabilize Their Economic Future

 

The U.S. has focused its attention as of late on ratifying the TPP. The Obama administration claims the TPP will be key in breaking down barriers that American exports face in the Asia-Pacific by eliminating taxes in partner countries. Meanwhile, China is seeking to upgrade the Sino-ASEAN Free Trade Zone and finalize the negotiations on the Agreement on Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership as soon as possible. The two also exchanged barbs over with the U.S. continuing to urge reforms in China’s economy, while the Chinese government expressed its displeasure with not being recognized as a market economy. Furthermore China emphasized that the key advantage of China in foreign trade will be producing higher value-added products and gaining access to advanced technologies which are integral parts of the 13th Five-Year Plan.

 

You Say Militarization, I Say Disrupting Peace

 

While China is landing aircraft on territory in the South China Sea that Vietnam also claims, the U.S. is sailing military vessels through what China claims are its territorial waters. What the two can both agree on is that the other is responsible for increased military presence in an area full of overlapping territorial disputes. Whether the U.S. is “the most disruptive force” or China is “try[ing] to militarize” the region depends on perspective as both claim their actions are defensive reactions to one another’s aggressions. In the meantime, the U.S. has enlisted support for its “freedom of navigation” exercises in the South China Sea from its longtime ally Australia, while maintaining that it does not takes sides but will “continue to fly, sail and operate wherever international law allows.” The Chinese side is comparatively isolated; it called out Vietnam’s protests as “unfounded accusations.” China also stated that legal decisions taken by the Hague in an arbitration case with the Philippines are “full of errors” and that Japan should consider its wartime history record rather than “poke its nose in the issue of the South China Sea.” Despite both China and the U.S. insisting that they have peaceful intentions, the reality is that both their actions and words have increased volatility in the region at large.

 

Cooperation Deepens on Middle East Issues

 

The U.S. and China participated in the first meeting of the Quadrilateral Coordination Group in Islamabad, Pakistan in early January and the group issued a joint statement. The efforts of this group to speed forward the Afghani peace process come on the heels of the two countries successful collaboration to work out a deal with Iran over halting its nuclear program. Both countries made statements marking the day that sanctions were lifted from Iran as a part of the deal they negotiated last year. President Xi also visited the Middle East in an effort to drum up support for the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative. The U.S. meanwhile continued its airstrikes against the terrorist group Daesh and continued to provide aid to Syrian refugees.

 

China Responds to International Criticism over Human Rights

 

The U.S. voiced strong support for a group of lawyers representing Chinese human rights activists that have been charged with “subversion.” The U.S. has also been critical of some aspects of the criminal justice process in China, which it says “run contrary China’s human rights commitments and hinder its attempts to build a more transparent and effective justice system.” China retorted that the Qvod case exemplified China’s progress on judicial transparency. Moreover, China emphasized that they know best the status of human rights in their own country, emphasizing that lawful rights are respected including the interests of foreign journalists. Internationally, head of state Xi Jinping’s Middle Eastern tour ended with China offering nearly 8 million dollars in humanitarian aid to the Palestinians on top of another 35 million to other Arab states. To round things up, the state controlled media accused the Nobel Peace Prize winning Dalai Lama of genocidal intentions against the Han population in the Tibet region.

 

 

 

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Time Period: January 1 - January 31, 2016

 

 

1. U.S. – China Bilateral Relations: U.S. Emphasizes Cooperation with China on Many Issues and Insists its Own Power is Not Declining; China Continues to Pursue the Chinese Dream and Reject Notion of One Type of Democracy

2. Economic Relations: Obama Administration Continues to Seek Ratification of TPP by Boasting About Tariff Reductions in Partner Countries; China Demands Recognition as a Market Economy and Looks to Smooth Transition to “New Normal”

3. Military and Security Relations: U.S. Does Not Address Cyber Security Issue; China Begins Construction on Second Aircraft Carrier

4. Human Rights and Humanitarian Issues: U.S. Express Concern about Crackdown on Lawyers in China and Coerced Confessions; China Insists it Values the Rule of Law

5. Climate Change and Environmental Issues: U.S. Boosts of Its Leadership on Climate Change and Cooperation with China; China Insists U.S. and Developed Countries Play Leading Role in Resolving Climate Change

6. Asia Pacific Issues: .S. Reaffirms its Commitment to the Asia-Pacific Region; China Remains Skeptical of ROK-Japan Agreement on Comfort Women Issue

7. Korean Peninsula: U.S. Reaffirms Commitment to the Defense of South Korea Following North Korean Nuclear Test, Seeks China’s Cooperation in Increasing Pressure on North Korea; China Condemns North Korean Nuclear Test, Seeks to Restart Six-Party Talks

8. Middle East and Africa Issue: U.S. Hails Implementation of Iranian Nuclear Deal, Continues to Struggle in Fight Against ISIL; China Participates in First Meeting of Quadrilateral Coordination Group and President Xi Visits Middle East

9. Sovereignty and Territorial Disputes: : U.S. Calls for Decreased Tensions in South China Sea Including Condemning Taiwanese President’s Planned Visit to a Disputed Island; China Reiterates “One China” Policy during Taiwanese Elections; Rejects Rulings in Territorial Dispute with the Philippines