Dealing With China, U.S. Needs to Separate Rhetoric From Reassurance

WSJ.com, November 7, 2014

–Commentary by Ying Ma

As U.S. President Barack Obama gets ready to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping following the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Beijing next week, relations between the world’s two largest economies are mired in a troubling inertia.

On issues ranging from heated territorial disputes with neighbors to harassment of the U.S. military in international air space, China shows no interest in backing down from challenging the U.S.-led order in Asia. The solution, many in Washington argue, is to strengthen U.S. resolve and capacity against Beijing, but it seems prudent to also ask: Has the Obama administration sent the proper reassurances to China that responsible behavior would be welcomed?

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