Courtesy of WikiCommons
We here at USDemocrazy have extensive foreign policy experience. On Monday nights, we order out for Thai. Wednesdays are always Greek. And we have our favorite Italian place for Friday nights.
But still, with all of our experience, we can’t seem to make heads or tails of what the President’s trip to China means in the grand scheme of things.
The President’s trip has caused a stir of pundit postulations and syndicated say-so. We’ve got a ripe selection of them here, so join us for the run-down.
The NYTimes gives us the basics:
President Obama and President Hu Jintao of China met in private off Tienanmen Square here on a frigid Tuesday morning to discuss cooperating on issues … in a session that signaled the central role of China on the world stage.
David Brook’s at the NYTimes Opinion section says that China looks a lot like the U.S. of Old:
The Chinese, though members of a famously old civilization, seem to possess some of the vigor that once defined the U.S. The Chinese are now an astonishingly optimistic people.
Robert Reich at the WSJ online says that there is one major distinction between the US and China:
But the larger explanation for Chinese frugality is that the nation is oriented to production, not consumption…The U.S. would like to retain the lead, but our economy is oriented to consumption rather than production.
Mike Allen at Politico says Obama has shown us his brand of diplomacy:
On his maiden Asia swing, Obama has made a vivid display of his own trademark style — the diplomacy of deference.
Matthew Yglesias at The Daily Beast says that ‘Hey! China’s got the muscle. Why not flex it?’
But the reality is that America’s biggest problem with the new kid on the block isn’t that China is throwing its weight around too much, it’s that they’re not doing it enough.
David Shorr at TPM, on the other hand, says :
I sympathize with Chinese worries that they’re not ready for the full weight of attention and expectations to play the role of a global leader. It’s just that the world and a set of very high-stakes problems can’t really afford to wait.
So with all these opinions flying which ones carry the most weight with you? TELL US YOUR OPINION!
