Chinese media hopes Kerry will be less aggressive than Hillary

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China today congratulated US senator John Kerry over his appointment as the new secretary of state, saying the two countries should now explore “new type” ties, as official media hoped Barack Obama’s new appointee will be less aggressive compared to Hillary Clinton.

“We congratulate Senator Kerry on his nomination as secretary of state,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, Hua Chunying told a media briefing here when asked about the US Senator’s appointment.

“China is ready to work with US to push for greater progress in China-US cooperative partnership and actively explore the new type of relations between China and US as major countries in the world,” she said.

Kerry, the current chairman of the US senate foreign relations committee, will succeed Clinton in the new Obama administration.

Commenting on his appointment, state-run China Daily said it could make US policy towards China less aggressive. “The diplomatic wisdom of incoming US secretary of state John Kerry is expected to improve China-US relations, as the Obama administration
seeks to rebalance its Asian strategy during the president’s second term,” it said in its report titled ‘Kerry positive for China-US relations’.

Among the challenges facing Kerry will be to improve ties between China and the US, which have worsened since Washington’s rebalancing of policy in the Asia-Pacific region, it quoted analysts as saying.

“China-US ties have deteriorated through a series of high- profile measures by the US aimed at rebalancing, especially the over-emphasis of military action, which triggered great antipathy from China,” Ruan Zongze, a US studies researcher and the deputy director of the China Institute of International Studies said.

The analysts recalled Kerry’s support for the trans- Pacific Partnership trade agreement, to “balance China's economic influence in the region”.

Ruan views Kerry as professional, calm and pragmatic, and expects him to initiate strategic dialogues between China and the US, which will wield positive influence on Sino-US relations.

As the new secretary of state, and a supporter of the Asian rebalancing strategy, Kerry would be less aggressive than his predecessor Clinton, Jin Canrong, an international affairs professor at Renmin University of China, said.