China is angry with the U.S. over a possible visit to the Dalai Lama and a multi-billion dollar arms deal. Peace and war. I love the irony. Obama is rumored to be meeting with the Dalai Lama sometime this month and China is dramatically unhappy. Why? The same reason they are unhappy that the U.S. is selling weapons to Taiwan- Both are land claimed by the Chinese as part of China. Taiwan is independently governed and refuses to accept China as their political ruler, and Tibet, where the Dalai Lama is the spiritual leader, is asking for significant autonomy in their own political rule- a move China sees as the same as independence.

Point being, China is just angry at the U.S. Period. Why? I think it’s a bit of a superpower war. The U.S. has been a lonely superpower for a few decades now- it’s easy to forget that just 30 years ago the U.S.S.R. was as politically powerful as we are now. It’s easy to ignore that we could very well be where they are 30 years from now. But none of that is certain- all speculation. If the U.S. can find a way out of the credit crisis and the deficit hole we will rewrite the rules and forge our own path into the always promising future. Afterall, we are Americans. Hope and Change, folks, Hope and Change.

Though that may be all we have in our pockets come 2012 if we keep antagonizing the Chinese.

“If the U.S. leader chooses this time to meet the Dalai Lama, that would damage trust and cooperation between our two countries, and how would that help the United States surmount the current economic crisis?” asked Zhu Weiqun, VP of the United Front Work Department of the Communist Party (shudder, shudder, 1984 flashback visions…shudder, shudder)...

As if choosing a different time would make any difference. 2 main points I see in there:

1. China believes, I would say correctly, that it matters what they think about who we meet with. They are powerful now, and becoming more and more so.
2. “…how would that help the United States surmount the current economic crisis?...” Indeed. This is a chilling statement. Not because it is potentially correct, but because China is beginning to use the economic crisis as diplomatic leverage in their relations with the U.S. At this point China owns a lot of U.S. debt and they export a lot of goods to the U.S. On one hand they need the U.S. economy to be healthy to keep selling things and collect on their debts. On the other hand, they can stop buying the debt and stop exporting goods and cripple the U.S.

It’s doubtful the U.S. will not do either- sell arms to Taiwan and meet with the Dalai Lama. So will China impose harsh sanctions or some other kind of punishment?

“Let’s watch what they do, not what they say, because sometimes tough words in China are a substitute for tough action,” said Susan Shirk, UC- San Diego professor specializing in Chinese foreign relations. I’m guessing Ms. Shirk is correct for now- but for how much longer?

 Photo Credit: Elton Melo (via Flickr under CCL)