Sasser began his speech by assessing the atmosphere surrounding U.S.-China relations prior to the collision. China also had objections to Bush s leanings toward Japan and Taiwan , the administration s support of a national missile defense system and military surveillance flights near China. We re the second-largest market. Year in and year out, American businesses are the largest investors in China. And the Chinese economy needs this American market.
American business sees China as a great market that s developing.
Any such rules would surely come only after a heated debate. However, Condoleezza Rice, Bush s national security adviser, has said the United States has no intention of ending these flights. Whatever comes about, Sasser said yesterday, lessons have definitely been learned on each side. The new administration . . . has learned something about Chinese sensitivities, and the Chinese have learned something about the new administration. The administration is strong and it will hang tough.