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China, US heading for cold war: Most Chinese feel
Sunday Times, London, 8 February 2010, 01:50am
More than half of Chinese people questioned in a poll believe China and America are heading for a new "cold war".
The finding came after battles over Taiwan, Tibet, trade, climate change, internet freedom and human rights which have poisoned relations in the three months since President Barack Obama made a visit to Beijing.
According to diplomatic sources, a rancorous post-mortem is under way inside the US government, led by officials who think the president was badly advised on China and was made to appear soft on China.
Almost 55% of those questioned for Global Times, a state-run newspaper, agree that "a cold war will break out between the US and China".
An independent survey of Chinese-language media for the Sunday Times has found army and navy officers predicting a military showdown and political leaders calling for China to sell more arms to America's foes.
The trigger for their fury was Obama's decision to sell £4 billion worth of weapons to Taiwan, the thriving democratic island that has ruled itself since 1949.
"We should retaliate with an eye for an eye and sell arms to Iran, North Korea, Syria, Cuba and Venezuela," declared Liu Menxiong, a member of the Chinese people's political consultative conference.
Officially, China has reacted by threatening sanctions against American companies selling arms to Taiwan and cancelling military visits.
But there are a few voices urging caution on Chinese public opinion. "China will look unreal if it behaves aggressively and competes for global leadership," wrote Wang Yusheng, a retired diplomat, in the China Daily.
He warned that China was not as rich or as powerful as America or Japan and therefore such a move could be "hazardous".
.
Sunday Times, London, 8 February 2010, 01:50am
More than half of Chinese people questioned in a poll believe China and America are heading for a new "cold war".
The finding came after battles over Taiwan, Tibet, trade, climate change, internet freedom and human rights which have poisoned relations in the three months since President Barack Obama made a visit to Beijing.
According to diplomatic sources, a rancorous post-mortem is under way inside the US government, led by officials who think the president was badly advised on China and was made to appear soft on China.
Almost 55% of those questioned for Global Times, a state-run newspaper, agree that "a cold war will break out between the US and China".
An independent survey of Chinese-language media for the Sunday Times has found army and navy officers predicting a military showdown and political leaders calling for China to sell more arms to America's foes.
The trigger for their fury was Obama's decision to sell £4 billion worth of weapons to Taiwan, the thriving democratic island that has ruled itself since 1949.
"We should retaliate with an eye for an eye and sell arms to Iran, North Korea, Syria, Cuba and Venezuela," declared Liu Menxiong, a member of the Chinese people's political consultative conference.
Officially, China has reacted by threatening sanctions against American companies selling arms to Taiwan and cancelling military visits.
But there are a few voices urging caution on Chinese public opinion. "China will look unreal if it behaves aggressively and competes for global leadership," wrote Wang Yusheng, a retired diplomat, in the China Daily.
He warned that China was not as rich or as powerful as America or Japan and therefore such a move could be "hazardous".
.
