Will Obama Improve Americas Global Image?
By Sunny Lee
Korea Times Correspondent
BEIJING ― China was no exception. It was part of the extraordinary international attention to undoubtedly the most important election on Earth, and one that will shape U.S. policies for the next four years.
Wang Jisi, dean of the School of International Relations at Peking University, said Barack Obama's victory indicates ``America's adoption of the 'trend' of the world.''
``Many Americans believe that the United States for the last several years has been going in the wrong direction. The expected reforms by Obama gave a new hope to American voters,'' the official Xinhua news agency reported.
Wang said the China-America relationship under Obama will be steady and stable. ``That's what happened with previous U.S. presidents. After they became president, they went through a period of getting to know China. Then things became stable,'' adding America will not likely make a dramatic change in its Taiwan policy either.
The Beijing News ran a headline on Obama's victory, Thursday, saying ``Obama will make the world more equitable.'' In it, it also quoted an American in Beijing who believed that Obama can improve America's international image.
Overall, the Chinese media, which had maintained a neutral attitude until the election, has become ebullient after Obama's win.
The China Daily, the Communist Party's official English language publication, ran an uncommon congratulatory commentary piece for Obama, titled ``We wish the US President-elect well.''
``Like American people on the other side of the Pacific, we are excited, too, at the landslide win of Democrat Barack Obama,'' it said, adding ``We wish him all the best in bringing America out of the present financial quagmire as soon as possible.''
Another China Daily article ran a piece titled, ``World hopes for a less arrogant America.''
``We hope that America will be a strong proponent for world peace, not a trigger for disputes or even conflicts. Knotty issues including the Iranian and North Korean nuclear problems can be solved on the negotiating table,'' it said.
The state-controlled CCTV news, highlighted the difference of positions between Obama and McCain by showing a contrasting diagram. One of the defining characteristics for Obama read: ``America needs China''
Some Chinese media however warned of Obama's protectionist-leaning campaign rhetoric, using the trade conflict with South Korea as an example, saying he clearly opposes the free trade agreement.
Chinese media also voiced anticipation that he would take a more cooperative approach to global problems than President George W. Bush. In the Oriental Morning Post, Zhou Qingan, a public diplomacy expert, said ``Why do we pay attention to the American election? It's because it will bring a new change to us. It's because we want to preserve some positive order. The changes Obama will make and the changes Obama will not make, will directly influence the future relationship between China and the United States. That's why we pay attention to the American election.''
On Wednesday night, a jubilant female Chinese journalist working for a major American news outlet in Beijing sent out text messages to her friends, saying Obama's win ``will be the beginning of a whole new better world.'' She added her more personal reason for supporting Obama as well. ``Besides, he's sexy.''