There has been a lot of hype, for a long time, about a rising China. There is now no question about China's growing economic power or its military ambition. Over the past year, relations between Washington and Beijing have become increasingly tense and mistrustful. Against that backdrop, The New York Times expects President Barack Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao, when they meet at the White House Wednesday, to try to set a new course in which competition is carefully managed and a premium is placed on cooperation that will reqiuire a commitment of sustained discussion of the many issues dividing them. Excerpts from its editorial on the subject: For a long time we weren't sure if President Obama had a China strategy, beyond muting criticism and hoping for cooperation. We are increasingly reassured. Officials acknowledge that China must have a bigger say in the world and believe there are common interests to build on — but they are rightly not ceding anything. Obama has made clear that he won't stand by while China tries to bully its neighbors. The United States has embraced India and Southeast Asia more closely and shored up alliances with South Korea and Japan. We know less about China's strategy. Its overconfidence is clear. It has been aggressively pressing its claims to disputed islands in the East and South China Seas. The military's rising influence is troubling. China has recently slowed energy investments in Iran and promised to support the southern Sudan referendum. American officials say it has begun to urge North Korea to tone down its belligerence. The Chinese military played host to Defense Secretary Robert Gates last week, although its leaders couldn't resist test flying their new stealth fighter during the visit. What we don't know is if these are tactical concessions to ensure a good meeting with Obama, who offered the pomp China craves — a state dinner and a 21-gun salute — or a serious rethinking on Beijing's part. Obama was far too deferential to Hu during their Beijing summit. He will need to do better this week. He will have to press Hu for a convincing pledge that China is committed to a peaceful rise, that it will engage in substantive talks about its military plans and will push North Korea hard to give up its nuclear program. __
