experience in carrying out reform and opening up are attractive to other developing countries. Against this backdrop, the United States has criticized China for pursuing "authoritarian development," while celebrating its own "democratic development." It claims that the former model will lead to wars and conflicts, whereas the latter one will bring about peace and prosperity.

The Bush administration's national security strategy focuses on combating international terrorism and addressing potential challenges posed by emerging powers, mainly China, India and Russia. It believes the three countries are at a strategic crossroads and the future course they take will affect global and regional power structures. However, the United States has treated these countries in different ways. While trying to help India-the "largest democracy" in U.S. eyes-become a world power, Bush has adopted a "hedging policy" toward China and Russia, which seeks to standardize their international behavior and shape the future course of their development. His policy is designed to squeeze Russia's geostrategic space by expanding NATO eastward and deploying missile defense systems in Europe. In Asia, Bush has attempted to initiate a so-called "democratic alliance," or an Asian NATO, to contain China strategically. In its China policy, the Bush administration has tried to strike a balance between dialogue and cooperation on one hand and constraint and precaution on the other hand.

Obama: Working with China, not demonizing it

The core of Obama's diplomatic strategy is renewing America's global leadership. In his view, U.S. national security strategy should respond to the challenges posed by Islamic fundamentalism and the rise of emerging powers including China, India and Russia. He has vowed to rebuild America's alliances and partnerships with other countries, with "democracies" as its most valuable allies. In Asia, he believes the United States should first of all maintain robust relations with its allies and deepen its partnership with India, which Obama regards as a "natural strategic ally" of the United States. At the same time, Obama has pledged to deepen America's relations with China. If he is elected, he will shift America's diplomatic focus to the Asia-Pacific region, a region of rapid economic growth as well as existing and potential heated issues that the United States has to confront, he said. He believes that given their common security interests, the United States and China should be partners.

In his China Brief article, Obama points out that in coming years the United States and China will face challenges that require the United States to change its policy. "How the United States and China meet these challenges, and the extent to which we can find common ground, will be important both for our own countries and for others in Asia and beyond," he wrote. "We know that America and China can accomplish much when we recognize our common interests. U.S. and Chinese cooperation in the six-party talks on the North Korean nuclear issue over the past few years makes clear that we can work together constructively, bilaterally and with others, to reduce tensions on even extraordinarily sensitive issues."

While addressing the Senate in May, Obama said China's rise is both a challenge and an opportunity for the United States. The United States should welcome China's peaceful rise and at the same time be prepared to prevent it from developing in a problematic direction, he said. He also called on the United States to make China more transparent about its military modernization operations.

In its election platform, the Democratic Party promises to adhere to the one-China policy and the Taiwan Relations Act and support "a peaceful resolution of cross-straits issues that is consistent with the wishes and best interests of the people of Taiwan." It emphasizes that its one-China policy is based on the Taiwan Relations Act without mentioning the three Sino-U.S. communiques. Obama welcomed the $6.5 billion arms package for Taiwan announced by the Bush administration on October 3. He has also not given short shrift to "human rights in Tibet" in his articles and policy statements. Obama's position on the Taiwan issue would remain an unpleasant shadow over the future relationship between China and the United States.

McCain: China is not a destined adversary

McCain underlines peace based on U.S. power and leadership, while giving prominence to American values in his diplomatic policy. Efforts to promote human rights worldwide reflect America's traditions, values and national interests, he said. In his view, the Republican Party should make religious freedom a central issue in U.S. diplomatic policy. In an article published in a