The Christian Science Monitor quoted Government Professor Cheng Li on recent developments in U.S-China relations. President Bush has visited China twice in his first two years in office, and he has spoken of building a positive and friendly relationship with China. However, at the same time President Bush has shown more support than any recent president to Taiwan, which is an island China claims as one of its province. Cheng Li said, "Beijing feels it is getting a mixed message from Washington."
As the Chinese government feels that it is getting a mixed message, "right now, the Chinese are sending a mixed signal back," said Cheng Li. In recent trips overseas, both President Jiang and Premier Zhu have intentionally chosen to visit Arab countries that included Libya, Egypt and Iran.
Those visits came before Vice President Hu's trip to the U.S and also at a time when the Arab countries feel most ambivalent about their relations with the U.S. One of Hu's main jobs during his visit here is to send a message to the White House that selling arms and being friendly with Taiwan will not benefit U.S-China relations.
