Tom's Take

[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/11/09/art.amanpour.writer.jpg caption="Sr. Writer Tom Evans"]

On AMANPOUR. today, we look at U.S. President Obama’s first trip to China. What are we to make of U.S. policy toward China and what kind of leverage does the U.S. have on issues as crucial as climate change, trade, nuclear proliferation, and the global financial crisis? Is China the 800lb gorilla in the room that everyone is trying to ignore? Geo-strategic implications of China’s rise continue to astonish, particularly as it’s on brink of overtaking Japan as the world’s second biggest economy. We also look at China’s rising economic influence in Africa and South America and more. That’s not the only story making news today. Here are some perspectives on that and some other headlines.

– Tom Evans; Sr. Writer, AMANPOUR.

U.S. AND CHINA – interdependent partners or strategic rivals?

–         President Obama in China on his first official visit to the country amid tensions between Beijing and Washington on a host of issues

–         Both U.S. and China’s economies deeply intertwined. U.S. relies on China to buy U.S. Treasury bonds. China relies on U.S. to buy its manufactured goods

–         Some are calling for new global leadership by China and the U.S., a so-called “G2” to direct the world economy and address strategic issues such as North Korea and Iran

–         President Obama says U.S. is not trying to contain China and there are very few global challenges that can’t be solved if two countries work together

QUESTION: Is U.S. downplaying human rights concerns in Tibet and Xinjiang in order to strengthen the bilateral relationship between Beijing and Washington?

PAKISTAN – Is the Pakistani government doing enough to fight the Taliban?

–         Suicide bomber kills six in Peshawar in latest bomb attack in the frontier city of Pakistan

–         Intelligence officials say attack is retaliation for Pakistani offensive against Taliban in its stronghold of South Waziristan

–         New York Times reporting Obama Administration is stepping up pressure on Pakistan to expand and reorient its fight against the Taliban and Al Qaeda

–         NYT quotes officials as saying Pakistan should take fight beyond extremists bombing Pakistani cities and go after groups that use safe havens in Pakistan to attack U.S. troops in Afghanistan

QUESTION: Is Pakistan reluctant to expand its offensive against the Taliban because it believes the U.S. may not stay in Afghanistan over the long term?

AFGHANISTAN – How long will the U.S. and its allies remain fully committed to the counterinsurgency fight in Afghanistan?

–         U.S. Secretary of State Clinton says U.S. not interested in staying in Afghanistan “long-term” as Obama Administration considers plans to increase forces there

–         Clinton emphasizes importance of giving Afghan people the tools they need to fight the Taliban and defend themselves

–         British prime minister Gordon Brown strongly defends U.K. mission in Afghanistan, saying Al Qaeda is the biggest threat to British national security

–         New poll says 71% British people would back a phased withdrawal of U.K. forces from Afghanistan and an end to combat operations within 12 months

QUESTION:  Will U.S. and U.K. ultimately shift their mission from counterinsurgency to counterterrorism in Afghanistan amid rising public anxiety in both countries about the war?