Sino-US relations are unlikely to change drastically after election of the next US president, Chinese experts said.
Issues involving China, as usual, have been broached during the US 2008 presidential campaigns, with Democratic presidential candidate hopefuls more concerned about trade deficits and intellectual rights, while Republicans emphasize national security.
"The China card has been played more this time than in the previous US presidential election, which I think is the natural result of the increasing interactions and interdependence between the two countries," said Wang Fan, director of Institute of International Relations at China Foreign Affairs University.
Some structural problems do exist between China and the US in the economic and political fields, and the presidential candidates are hoping to score points by raising some protruding problems.
"No matter who gets elected, he or she has to face the reality and map out policies based on national interests conducive to the development of US-China relations," Wang said.
"Of course, more problems will emerge as mutual relations deepen. There won't be any major rupture and China-US relations will zigzag ahead."
Fu Mengzhi, assistant president of the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations, shares Wang's opinion.
"As China and the US have established effective communication channels and the two countries are now economically dependent on each other, I believe anyone who gets elected as the next US president will adopt a realistic approach to move forward Sino-US relations," Fu said.
（英语点津 Celene 编辑）
About the broadcaster:
Brendan is an Australian who has been involved in education and writing for over a decade. He has published most recently for the Tiger Airways Inflight magazine, The Bangkok Post, The Taipei Times and Japan's Hiroshima Outside Magazine. He holds a Masters Degree in Community Development and Management and has resided in China for over 3 years.
