Chinese and US relations

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/05/16/chinese-military-chiefs-visit-7-years/

The item i have chosen is an article about the current tour of the US that the Chinese Military Chief begins in the week. I think this is an important article as it contains imfomation about the current relationship between the two countries, and it shows an interesting outlook for the relationships. This article is found on the website for Fox News, and therefore is as always very opinionated.

The article states that "Pentagon officials hope the visit, which begins Monday in Washington, will mark a fresh beginning for a prickly, start-and-stop relationship between the two military behemoths of the Asia-Pacific region." This is focusing on on the military relationship- which is hoped to improve. However this article doesnt take into account the other factors that will effect the US and Chinese relationship such as political and cultural factors. Also the unstable past and the current competition that is found for the struggle to be the worlds superpower in the 21st century.

Whilst the article does show a sense of positivity, there is no denying the element of threat that is shown towards China in this article. America it is claimed feel threatened by the continually increasing power of the Chinese military and perhaps the trip is to enable America, as the saying goes 'to keep your firends close but your enemies closer.'

The continued stress between the relationship is also picked upon when it is argued "This week's visit was delayed due to Chinese anger over the Obama administration's approval in January 2010 of a $6.4 billion weapons sale to Taiwan, the self-governing island that China claims as its own territory and that the U.S. is committed to arming." To me, i think this material and this article suggest that the visit is simply for show, and that behind the scenes feelings and attitudes will not have chnaged at all. The material in the article draws upon all the negative points in the history between the Chinese and American relations.

As always, the article is biased and supports America continually, when it is says "China's unwillingness" and "China refused to believe that the 1999 bombing of its embassy in Belgrade was accidental." To me this article fails to give China a fair argument- believing America is obviously the innocent, sleeping giant that is it always portrayed as and that China is the agressor, and is always doing the wrong thing. The Chinese are of course, seen by many as Amoral, but the US have their faults aswell, especially with regards to military action and this is not picked up on in the article.

The article, was always going to have a bias towards America, yet being about and based on the Chinese visit to America one would have assumed that the author would have made more of an effort to give China a fair assesment.