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China Asks U.S. to End Close-Up Aerial and Naval Surveillance China Asks U.S. to End Close-Up Military Surveillance
(about 7 hours later)
BEIJING — The United States should halt its “close-in” aerial and naval surveillance of China, a senior Chinese military officer told Susan E. Rice, President Obama’s national security adviser, on Tuesday. BEIJING — The United States should halt its “close-in” aerial and naval surveillance of China, a senior Chinese military officer told Susan E. Rice, President Obama’s national security adviser, on Tuesday.
Gen. Fan Changlong, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivered the warning on the last day of Ms. Rice’s visit to China, her first since she took up her post 15 months ago. It comes at a time when Chinese-American relations are at their coolest in years. Gen. Fan Changlong, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, gave the warning on the last day of Ms. Rice’s visit to China, her first since she took up her post 15 months ago. It came with Chinese-American relations at their coolest in years.
General Fan told Ms. Rice that the United States should take the “correct” view of the development of the Chinese military, and “decrease and even end close-in ship and aircraft surveillance of China,” according to an account by Xinhua, the state-run news service. United States forces have watched China closely for decades. General Fan told Ms. Rice that the United States should take the “correct” view of the development of the Chinese military, and “decrease and even end close-in ship and aircraft surveillance of China,” according to Xinhua, the state-run news service. American forces have watched China closely for decades.
The general’s remarks highlighted the wide gaps that have developed on a variety of issues between the countries since President Xi Jinping of China met with Mr. Obama in California in July 2013. Mr. Xi has steadily consolidated control at home since then, and China has vigorously pressed territorial claims in the South and East China Seas. It has enforced an antimonopoly law that some American corporations say favors Chinese champions, and taken other steps that have dismayed American businesses.The general’s remarks highlighted the wide gaps that have developed on a variety of issues between the countries since President Xi Jinping of China met with Mr. Obama in California in July 2013. Mr. Xi has steadily consolidated control at home since then, and China has vigorously pressed territorial claims in the South and East China Seas. It has enforced an antimonopoly law that some American corporations say favors Chinese champions, and taken other steps that have dismayed American businesses.
Ms. Rice stressed to her hosts the significance of her spending three days in Beijing when the United States faces pressing concerns elsewhere in the world. But her immediate task was fairly limited, to set the agenda for Mr. Obama’s planned visit to China in November. He will attend an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Beijing and then meet with Mr. Xi for a day. Ms. Rice stressed to her hosts the significance of her spending three days in Beijing when the United States faces pressing concerns elsewhere. But her immediate task was limited, to set the agenda for Mr. Obama’s planned visit in November. He will attend an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Beijing and then meet with Mr. Xi for a day.
Chinese officials appeared to have only modest expectations for Ms. Rice’s visit. “This cannot solve the problems,” said Shi Yinhong, professor of international relations at Renmin University. “Whether it’s matters of Japan, North Korea, Russia — there’s a long way to go.”Chinese officials appeared to have only modest expectations for Ms. Rice’s visit. “This cannot solve the problems,” said Shi Yinhong, professor of international relations at Renmin University. “Whether it’s matters of Japan, North Korea, Russia — there’s a long way to go.”
Wu Xinbo, the director of the Center for American Studies at Fudan University in Shanghai, said friction had built since Mr. Obama traveled in April to Japan, South Korea, Malaysia and the Philippines, four countries that worry about Chinese regional ambitions. “The relationship has gotten worse, Mr. Wu said. “There is a danger of it drifting further.” Wu Xinbo, director of the Center for American Studies at Fudan University in Shanghai, said friction had built since Mr. Obama went in April to Japan, South Korea, Malaysia and the Philippines, four countries that worry about Chinese regional ambitions. “The relationship has gotten worse,” Mr. Wu said. “There is a danger of it drifting further.”
In her public remarks in Beijing, Ms. Rice mentioned topics that offered some mutual interest but were removed from contentious issues like China’s territorial claims and Washington’s complaints about China’s role in cybertheft. In her public remarks in Beijing, Ms. Rice mentioned topics that offered some mutual interest but were removed from issues like China’s territorial claims and Washington’s complaints about China’s role in cybertheft.
During a 45-minute meeting with Mr. Xi at the Great Hall of the People, Ms. Rice said the two countries could work together on climate change and counterterrorism. During a meeting with Mr. Xi at the Great Hall of the People, Ms. Rice said the two countries could work together to combat climate change and terrorism.
She discussed with Chinese officials the possibility of China “making a contribution” in the fight against the militants of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. “The Chinese expressed interest in our proposal,” said a senior administration official who was traveling with Ms. Rice. “We are trying to build the international coalition that China should be part of. China’s answer was not ‘No.’ ” She discussed the possibility of China’s “making a contribution” in the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. “The Chinese expressed interest in our proposal,” said a senior administration official traveling with Ms. Rice. “We are trying to build the international coalition that China should be part of. China’s answer was not ‘No.’ ”
The Pentagon announced in August that a Chinese fighter jet flew perilously close to a Navy P-8 Poseidon surveillance plane off the southern coast of China, the fourth such encounter this year. In closed-door meetings with Chinese officials, Ms. Rice urged them to come to a “better understanding” of how their military forces should act in international waters and air space, the administration official said, adding that the Chinese officials understood the risks of intercepting and shadowing surveillance planes. The Pentagon announced in August that a Chinese fighter jet had flown perilously close to a Navy P-8 Poseidon surveillance plane off the southern coast of China, the fourth such encounter this year. In private meetings, Ms. Rice urged Chinese officials to come to a “better understanding” of how their military forces should act in international waters and airspace, the administration official said, adding that the Chinese officials understood the risks of intercepting and shadowing surveillance planes.
The official said Ms. Rice raised specific human-rights cases with her Chinese hosts, but declined to say whether she asked them to allow Gao Zhisheng, a well-known dissident lawyer released from prison last month, to travel to San Francisco to join his wife. Discussing the cases publicly would be “counterproductive,” the official said. The official said Ms. Rice had raised human-rights cases, but declined to say if she had asked her hosts to let Gao Zhisheng, a dissident lawyer released from prison last month, join his wife in San Francisco. Discussing the cases publicly would be “counterproductive,” the official said.
The reticence was unusual, according to Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch. “It’s quite extraordinary not even to mention the names of imprisoned dissidents whose names have been quietly raised,” Mr. Roth said. “It’s difficult to comment on whether there is something about these particular discussions that require such unusual discretion, but I’m skeptical.” The reticence was unusual, said Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch. “It’s quite extraordinary not even to mention the names of imprisoned dissidents whose names have been quietly raised,” he said. “It’s difficult to comment on whether there is something about these particular discussions that require such unusual discretion, but I’m skeptical.”
The last day of Ms. Rice’s visit coincided with the last day of a visit by Jimmy Carter, who as president established diplomatic relations with China in 1979. He toured several cities and gave speeches, mostly to university students, on his visit, which lasted more than a week. The last day of Ms. Rice’s visit coincided with the end of a visit by Jimmy Carter, who as president established diplomatic relations with China. He toured several cities and gave speeches, mostly to university students.
He met with a reserved reception, reflecting current tensions with America but out of keeping with his place in history, said Orville Schell, the director of the Center on U.S.-China Relations at the Asia Society in New York, who attended several functions with Mr. Carter. Some venues for Mr. Carter’s appearances were changed at the last minute, and there were empty seats and empty tables at a banquet for him at the Great Hall of the People, hosted by Vice President Li Yuanchao. His reception was reserved, reflecting tensions with America but out of keeping with his place in history, said Orville Schell, director of the Center on U.S.-China Relations at the Asia Society in New York, who was at several events with Mr. Carter. Some locations were changed at the last minute, and there were empty seats at a banquet for him at the Great Hall of the People, hosted by Vice President Li Yuanchao.
“I was surprised the Chinese government did not do more to highlight the importance of improving relations by President Carter,” Mr. Schell said.“I was surprised the Chinese government did not do more to highlight the importance of improving relations by President Carter,” Mr. Schell said.