A weak American president is poorly placed to provide that, and Beijing, knowing this, must be secretly delighted. If Mr. Clinton does turn out to be badly wounded domestically, staying away from China might be the most prudent option. American Interests in Asia Even if the China trip is not rooted in domestic U.S. politics, it reveals a fundamental misunderstanding of U.S. interests in Asia and how to promote them. Those interests do not lie entirely, or even primarily, in China. America's interest is in a secure and stable Asia in which democracy and human rights continue to move forward.
China is low on the list.
Beijing is more likely to be part of the problem, and at best will remain a neutral and independent actor. The answer is that the White House appears to have identified the relationship with China as of overarching importance. Get that one right, the argument goes, and the rest will fall into place. Unfortunately the truth is exactly the opposite. China is indeed a key state for Asia's future, but not as a rock of stability.