In the lexicon of George W. Bush's administration, China is no longer a "strategic competitor" -- a phrase coined by the president during his campaign to describe US relations with Beijing.
But Secretary of State Colin Powell and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said here Monday that the jury is still out on the ultimate character of the critical Sino-US relationship.
In a rare joint appearance after Australia-US security meetings, Powell and Rumsfeld were pressed to define US relations with Beijing -- and denied that any gaps existed between them on the issue.
"My personal view is that the People's Republic of China's future is not yet written -- they are evolving, our relationship with them is multi-faceted ... what kinds of decisions they will make over the coming period I think is unclear," Rumsfeld said.
He said he had never favored the designation "strategic competitor" and quipped: "I haven't put any Rumsfeldian code words on it."
The phrase was meant to differentiate the Bush team's China strategy from that of former president Bill Clinton's administration, which framed policy hoping that in time, Beijing could become a "strategic partner."
Powell told reporters on his plane late Sunday en route from Beijing to Australia for the final leg of a five-nation Asian tour that he had stopped using the term -- CANBERRA (AFP)
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