【华盛顿邮报0209】China, U.S. clash on Syria, other global issues ahead of Xi Jinping v

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China, U.S. clash on Syria, other global issues ahead of Xi Jinping visit                                http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/china-us-clash-on-syria-other-global-issues-ahead-of-xi-visit/2012/02/09/gIQAGWNa0Q_story.html
               
        
                                                                                        By  Keith B. Richburg, Thursday, February 9, 2:05 PM                                        
                                                                                                                                                                                                                BEIJING — On the eve of Chinese Vice-President Xi Jinping’s official visit to Washington, the country’s vice foreign minister in charge of U.S. affairs said the two countries now suffered from a “trust deficit” that the trip might help resolve.
                                                 “The level of mutual trust between China and the U.S. is lagging behind what is required for further development of our bilateral relations,” Cui Tiankai, the vice-minister, said Thursday.
                                
                                                                        
                                                        
        
                        
                        

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                                                                                        “Vice-President Xi’s visit will present a very important opportunity to enhance mutual trust,” he said.
Washington and Beijing have been in conflict in the past few weeks over a range of global issues, including sanctions on Iranian oil exports, dealing with North Korea, territorial disputed over islands in the South China Sea, and most recently China’s decision to join with Russia in vetoing a U.N. Security Council resolution condemning the violence in Syria.
Thirteen other Security Council members voted in favor of the Syrian resolution, which also had the backing of the European Union and the Arab League.  U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice called the veto “disgusting and shameful.”
Cui, at several times during the lengthy Thursday morning briefing, defended China’s veto — a rare move for China which has traditionally abstained on controversial votes.  He said China reserved its right to use its veto more often in the future, particularly as Beijing has become concerned that the U.S. and its allies might use Security Council resolutions to justify military interventions to overthrow governments.
“China holds that in international relations, one should not wantonly resort to the use of force for purposes of regime change,” Cui said.  He called it a “principled position” that was particularly important for developing countries.
“We did not do it to provoke anyone,” Cui said.  “But maybe some countries that tend to use force or tend to interfere in the affairs of other countries might be angered by China’s attitude.  We can’t help that.”
Responding to Rice’s heated comments, Cui said “To trade accusations against each other will not help solve this issue.”
China watched in dismay last March after it abstained, along with four other Security Council members, on a resolution setting up a “no-fly zone” over Libya and authorizing “all necessary means” to protect civilians — only to see NATO warplanes launch a wave of airstrikes that helped rebel forces topple Moammar Gaddafi from power in Tripoli.
Cui said China has always been “cautious and responsible” in using its veto power as one of the Security Council’s five permanent veto-wielding members.  “We’ve only used our veto power on eight occasions,” Cui said. “Other countries use the veto power more frequently than China does,” he said, singling out the United States as the country that has vetoed the most U.N. resolutions.
“If someone should be criticized for using the veto power, then the U.S. should be blamed for using its veto power the most,” Cui said.
“Don’t expect China to always abstain,” Cui said, in direct answer to a question.  “When it comes to occasions when a veto is necessary, China will do it.”
Cui stressed that the United States and China had room to cooperate on a range of bilateral and global issues, as part of a “cooperative partnership” agreed to between President Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao from their meeting in Washington in 2011.
On Syria, Cui said “both of us want to see regional peace and stability there.”  On the Iranian nuclear issue, he said Washington and Beijing have had “a lot of consultation and coordination,” even though the two sides still disagree on the issue of sanctions.  He also said both the United States and China were committed to resolving the crisis on the Korean Peninsula through an eventual return to the so-called “six-party talks.”
“Of course, on some issues, it is only natural for our two countries to see things differently,” Cui said.  “We have to first accommodate each other’s concerns.”
“What is critical is not to resort to unilateralism,” he said, “not to impose one’s view on the other.”
Cui was also asked whether human rights issues would emerge on the agenda for Xi’s U.S. visit, particularly as China engages in a widespread security clampdown in the Tibetan regions of the country to quell a growing uprising following a spate of self-immolations there.
“The Chinese government has the responsibility to protect people’s safety and property, and to curb violent activities,” Cui said.  “That is the most important human right for the people.”



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evalee

Clash of the titans! ;P