China Jittery About Obama Amid Signs of Harder Line

Posted by Justin Bresolin
China experts foresee a time of nervous tension between China and an Obama-run United States, based on Obama's taking a "harder line" on many Chinese policies. The main area of concern comes from the accusation that China "manipulates" its currency in an effort to gain an international trade advantage, but other causes for concern include Obama's vows regarding environmental issues and international trade concerns relating to new Secretary of State Clinton's emphasis on human rights.

China's vice governor of the national central bank, Su Ning, denies the treasury's accusations of currency manipulation, remarking that such assertions "sidetrack" efforts to find the real cause of China's financial crisis, along with making the veiled threat of possible "trade protectionism."

With the repairing of our country's image in other parts of the world after the Bush Administration being one of President Obama's key objectives, China stands as one of the most significant and complicated challenges in that regard. Without close cooperation and diplomacy between the two countries, relations could further sour and critical trade relations might be reduced.