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Frank Ching

China used to be thought of as no more than a regional power - albeit an important one.  Now, it's increasingly being treated as a world power whose influence can be brought to bear either for good or ill in such areas as Iran, Iraq, other parts of the Middle East, Afghanistan and Sudan.

Despite China's inexorable rise as an economic power, the United States is increasingly looking to Beijing as a partner in resolving global crises - while still nervously pondering if this nascent global force  may turn into a threat to American interests.

Last year, America's then deputy  secretary of state, Robert Zoellick,  called on China to become a 'responsible stakeholder' in the world. In particular, the US was concerned about China's single-minded determination to lock up energy resources in countries with  poor human rights records that are being boycotted by the west.

Today, Washington seems largely happy with the way China has performed. A turning point was China's decision last month to support a resolution condemning its ally, North Korea, for its recent missile tests.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice  cited that move as evidence that China was becoming a responsible stakeholder. Dr Rice said that Washington and China 'need to make sure that we remain united on Iran. But all that means is that China - which is a country of growing power and influence - needs to be a concrete and active contributor to the improvement of security and prosperity'.

The US is happy with the positive way China has been behaving in other parts of the world, as well. On Afghanistan, Beijing has publicly stated its support for  the country's reconstruction and for President Hamid Karzai's  efforts at national reconciliation.

On Iraq, China backed a UN Security Council resolution to extend the mandate of the coalition's military presence in the country,  and voiced support for December's National Assembly elections.

As for the  Lebanon crisis, Beijing  worked with Washington  to pass a presidential statement in the security council on Israel's firing on a UN  observation post in southern Lebanon, killing  four observers including one  Chinese. Beijing had  wanted a strong resolution criticising Israel, but the United States succeeded in toning it down and having it issued as a non-binding presidential statement, instead.

Even on Sudan, where again China has energy interests at stake, Beijing backed a unanimous security council resolution supporting  the transfer of peacekeeping operations in Darfur from the African Union to the UN.   In April,  China - despite its opposition to sanctions in principle - abstained from, rather than  blocking, a resolution imposing sanctions on four men  accused of atrocities in Darfur.

Why has China moderated its behaviour to such an extent?   'I believe China has realised, and will continue to find, that the more it becomes a major part of the global system, the more its interests align with those of other major stakeholders, including the US,' said Thomas Christensen,  the new US deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, last week.

Be that as it may, there is still a core Beijing interest that does not align with those of Washington -  namely Taiwan. Only last month, Beijing again warned Washington not to sell fighter jets to the island, saying it would affect  regional security and harm Sino-US relations.

If not properly handled, the Taiwan issue could torpedo the US-Beijing relationship.

Now that mainland China is no longer agitating for reunification - but merely trying to prevent  Taiwan from drifting further away - this may be the time for a major Washington-Beijing effort  to defuse this  issue once and for all.

Frank Ching is a Hong Kong-based writer and commentator



China's welcome moderation