The relations of the United States and Communist China unfortunately are not very good.
China was an ally of the United States in World War II. But Communists took control of the huge nation – and fought against the United States in the bitter Korean War, which ended in stalemate in 1953.
Today, Communist China is a large land with more than 1.3 billion people, roughly four times as many people as there are in the United States. Its economy is second in size only to America’s. But China’s government represses its people’s religious liberty and other freedoms. And alarmingly, China “owns” $900 billion of U.S. debt.
So it is interesting that Communist China’s President Hu Jintao will be a guest of U.S. President Barack Obama at a black-tie state dinner in the White House tonight. President George W. Bush had denied that honor to the authoritarian Chinese leader in 2006.
Hu has ruled China since 2002.
What will the presidents talk about? There will be diplomatic “small talk,” with elaborate and very cautious courtesy. Protocol and careful efforts to avoid perceived slight surely will be on the minds of all who sit around the table. We doubt that any of the diners will have what might be called a relaxed and “really good time.”
This will be a very “stiff” event in international diplomacy involving two extremely important nations.