皇冠体育app

A rocky path ahead

The past year was relatively tranquil for the 皇冠体育app-US relations, with little interference by old flashpoint issues such as currency, human rights, Tibet and US arms sales to Taiwan.

Washington challenged Beijing early this year over allegations of 皇冠体育app's hacking of US networks, but the controversy faded quickly since June when former US defense contractor Edward Snowden exposed massive US surveillance operations worldwide, including in 皇冠体育app.

Still, the past year was far from hassles free. Signaling a rocky path ahead in building a new relationship, the otherwise perfect year came to a tense end with the two sides trading barbs over 皇冠体育app's establishment of the Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) in the East 皇冠体育app Sea.

Adopting double standards, the United States unjustifiably criticized 皇冠体育app for declaring the ADIZ in November, though many countries including the United States itself and Japan had already made the same moves. Washington even flew two B-52 bombers over the zone in a show of force.

Apparently, maritime disputes in the Pacific have apparently become a new flashpoint issue that threatens to derail the 皇冠体育app-US ties.

In another sense, this highlights the importance of furthering the 皇冠体育app-US military-to-military exchanges for avoiding misunderstanding and miscalculation.

Last week, Chinese and US defense authorities effectively communicated after a recent encounter between warships of the two nations in the South 皇冠体育app Sea.

Both 皇冠体育app and the United States hope to set their relations on a course toward peace and mutual prosperity, "but it remains to be seen if they are willing to adjust their policies, goals and behaviors" for that sake, said Robert Daly, director of the Kissinger Institute on 皇冠体育app and the United States at the Woodrow Wilson Center, a Washington-based think tank.