A careful boost for US-China ties

Biden told reporters at a gathering that Washington "tends to fall into two camps." In the "engagement" camp, "the idea is that if you want good relations with China, you should not be publicly critical." In the other camp, one should "use the giant stick" of advocating an end to all trade with a regime that still has profound human rights problems and is accused of breaking agreements on proliferating missile technology.

"This looks to me like a strategy of 'congagement,' a blend of engagement and containment," says Cheng Li, a China expert at Hamilton College in New York. "US leaders have two main problems: they don't know how to deal with China, and they don't have many options. It is too late to contain China, and the US public is not ready for a highly confrontational approach."

Sen. Fred Thompson (R) of Tennessee, a ranking member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, noted that "year after year in our reports, China comes up as one of, if not the biggest, proliferator of weapons of mass destruction.

"Many of us in Congress want to give engagement a chance, but we aren't yet convinced that it will lead to the good things promised down the road. The problem is: What do you do in the meantime? We aren't sure the Chinese have arrived at the conclusion that there is a price to pay for doing things inimical to our interests."

The delegation, which also includes Senators Paul Sarbanes (D) of Maryland and Arlen Specter (R) of Pennsylvania, is the second to hold high-level talks in China since relations deteriorated this spring. Two weeks ago, Secretary of State Colin Powell paid a brief but effusive visit, designed to prepare the way for President Bush's trip to Shanghai and Beijing in October.

The central issue for China is Taiwan, Jiang told the senators. China regards Taiwan as a renegade province, and has said it would go to war if it declares independence. In an exchange with Jiang, Biden said the delegation had affirmed to Taiwan President Chen Shui-Bian that the US was committed to arming Taiwan, but "made it clear" that the US did not advocate its seeking independence. According to Biden, Jiang answered frankly that "Taiwan is seeking independence, and he said we [the US] are encouraging them."

The senators expressed concern over a nuclear arms race in the region while raising China's alleged technology exports. "You've got India now responding to China, and Pakistan responding to India.... This is a dangerous situation," Biden said.

Jiang was reflective at times, the senators said, at one point asking: "What is going to be the basis of our [US-China] post-cold-war friendship?" This summer, Chinese leaders are in the midst of a struggle over Jiang's replacement. Under a new party-seniority law, he is expected to step down early next year.

When asked about the future, Jiang said three different times in the two-hour meeting, "I hope it will be a peaceful world, but perhaps I am naive."

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