The China-US relations have completed in the year 2005 a transition from the "9/11" period toward "post-9/11" period.

In the three years or so after the 9/11 incident, the attention of the United States has been overwhelmingly arrested by anti-terrorism. China and the United States launched highly fruitful cooperation in fighting terrorism and preventing proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD). The China-US relations witnessed a remarkable improvement.

In the first half of this year, however, the situation changed somewhat.

The US Congress opposed the bid China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) for a California oil company. Some Congressmen tabled some bill to force appreciation of the Renminbi. In its report on Chinese military the US Defense Department applied its energy to airing the "China Threat Theory". All sorts of facts have shown that the positive effect of anti-terrorism on the China-US relations is basically over.

The China-US relations under this circumstance might very well see fluctuation once again. But the growth of the Chinese economy and overall national strength made the United States treat China with respect. The United States felt the weight of China in world politics and economy. In the latter half of 2005 the China-US relations realized a smooth transition and some improvements thanks to the joint efforts of both sides.

Major events in the bilateral relations in the second half year include: the meeting between President Hu Jintao and President George W. Bush in New York in September and the latter's visit to China in November; intensive visits to China by US cabinet members including hawkish Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld; the China-US agreement reached on the textile trade issue for next three years; two strategic meetings between US Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick and Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo; Zoellick made a speech on the China-US relations on Sept. 21, which caught broad attention from the political and academic circles in both countries.

The gist of Zoellick's speech is the US recognition that the development of China is non-stoppable. However, as to what it spells for the US interests and US positions in East Asia and the world, America is still not reassured therefore will bet either way.

The United States has also realized that regional and global issues cannot be addressed without the participation of China. It was for this reason that Zoellick suggested China should become a responsible "stakeholder" (Zoellick used the word "stakeholder" seven times in his speech). That is to say, China can develop itself but not to the detriment of American interests, better still it should be in the interests of America. We have different viewpoints on part of the speech, which, however, bears an overall positive tone.

As far as the Taiwan question is concerned, the China-US relations are relatively calm.

Since President Bush criticized Chen Shui-bian at a press conference on Dec. 9, 2003 the Bush administration has implemented a policy of maintaining the status quo across the Taiwan Straits, opposing unilateral change of it. President George Bush said repeatedly that he opposes "Taiwan independence". The policy has something in common with the Chinese government's policy to maintain the stability across the Taiwan Straits, hence a new situation in which the Chinese and US governments joint hands in checking the "de jure Taiwan independence". The Chinese mainland adopted a series of major moves this year and the tense situation across the Straits began to ease up, which in turn added to the stability of the China-US relations.

A major problem between the two countries is trade dispute. Three questions, namely, the US trade deficit against China, the Renminbi exchange rate and protection of US intellectual property rights are the primary concerns of the US Congress about the China-US relations.

A new trend in the China-US relations is that the bilateral relations are growing in dimensions, or in other words, they are being built on a broadening foundation. Apart from bilateral ones, the relations also include regional and global issues. The cooperation between the two countries in combating bird flu, whether at the APEC meeting in Busan or during President Bush's visit to China, is a good example. Along the current course, it is quite possible that the China-US relations will remain stable in the years to come.

The article written by Tao Wenzhao, research fellow with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, is carried on the front page of People's Daily Overseas Edition on Dec. 20 and translated by People's Daily Online