The Archway

Issue date: 11/2/07 Section: Campus News

On October 11 the US-China Institute hosted Dr. Shiping Zheng as a guest speaker for the monthly China seminar series. Dr. Zheng was born in Shanghai, China and spent most of his early life there. He is currently living in the U.S. and working as an associate professor of political science and chair of the International Studies Department at Bentley College in Waltham, Massachusetts. Having received his MA from Fudan University in Shanghai as well as his second MA and Ph.D. from Yale University, Dr. Zheng was able to pursue a dual-national education. This has allowed him to not only benefit from the different resources offered by these institutions, but also to gain personal experience concerning the relationship between these two countries and their people.

In his presentation, titled "U.S. - China Relations in the 21st Century: Friends, Foes, or Competitors," Dr. Zheng focused on the historical background of Sino-U.S. relations. He touched upon the difficulties faced by both countries to share friendly relations during the Hot War and Cold War of the 1950s and 1960s. During the 1970s a rapprochement between the two sides took place. In 1971 there was a secret visit of National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger to China, which finally led to the state visit of President Richard Nixon in 1972. This event marked the first trip by an American president to China, setting a benchmark for the relations between these two countries.

As a further point of focus, Dr. Zheng spoke about the rise of China to the world's second largest economy (rank measured by purchasing power) and its impact on the global financial system as well as Sino-U.S. relations. He described the changing sentiment of America and other nations towards China's high levels of industrial output and booming industries as well as its impact on both the local and global environment. Other points he touched upon included the ongoing U.S. trade deficit with China, having reached $220 billion in 2006, as well as the undervaluation of the Chinese currency which is viewed critically by many. Other concerns include the loss of jobs in the U.S. to low-cost producer China and recent re-calls of Chinese products found to be unsafe for American consumers. Such events have caused a shift in the relations between the two countries as competition for economic dominance has increased in the past decades.

Although the future of China is uncertain, it is likely that its rapid growth will continue. Its domestic and global importance will further increase with upcoming events such as the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and World Exposition in Shanghai in 2010. Pertaining to the role of China as a responsible global leader, Dr. Zheng expressed the importance of the U.S. and other global partners giving China a push in the right direction. This should help China's leadership become more active in reducing environmental issues and taking an active role in the resolution of political issues such as the crisis in Darfur. On a personal note, Dr. Zheng relayed the great significance of the 2008 Olympics to China's people and their excitement to host such an important global event in their own country. Having the opportunity to welcome visitors from across the globe and displaying the diversity and richness of China's culture promises to be a unique opportunity for the world and China to form new and peaceful relations.

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