W for China

The US media’s view on Dubya’s recent visit to China has been pretty negative, ranging from complete failure to accomplishing nothing. Many have criticized Bush for not pushing China on human rights, trade imbalance and a host of other issues. They speak as if Bush was in any way in position to push China on anything. The situation is quite the opposite. The Bush government has to stay on the good side of the Chinese government if they do not want their international strategy to be resisted in every turn. All the problems that the US government is worrying about right now, the Middle East, Pakistan, North Korea and national debt, need the help of China. At the moment, the US needs China far more than China needs the US, and everybody knows it. Bush is therefore happy to be a publicity stunt for the Chinese leaders in exchange for China’s, if not support, at least silence on international issues. This certainly is an example of wars, even after declared victory, do not necessarily make a country more influential internationally.