The Foreign Service Journal, May 2005

F O C U S O N C H I N A C ONGRESSIONAL P RESSURES AND U.S.-C HINA P OLICY oday, the Sino-American relationship is arguably in better shape than it has ever been. Frequent high-level visits and communication, convergence on terrorism, weapons proliferation and related issues, and growing economic ties all support stronger U.S.-China cooperation. Yet it also remains more complicated than any other bilateral relationship in American foreign policy. Not the least of these complications is the role of the U.S. Congress in influencing policy toward China. Proponents of closer ties cite the two countries’ ever-growing economic interdependence and greater common T A S THE B USH ADMINISTRATION SEEKS TO MANAGE S INO -A MERICAN RELATIONS , IT WOULD BE WISE TO KEEP IN MIND CONGRESSIONAL SENSITIVITIES . B Y R OBERT S UTTER Jeff Moores 24 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / M A Y 2 0 0 5