Beijing could be urged to take goodwill steps towards Taiwan
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is expected to voice concerns about the mainland's Anti-Secession Law and its military build-up during a visit to Beijing beginning tomorrow.
In response, analysts said, the central government would explain the new law's peaceful intent and reiterate its objection to including Taiwan as a security objective in the US-Japan strategic alliance.
But they said the Taiwan issue was unlikely to dominate the talks because the US basically upheld the 'one China' principle. It was only objecting because it considered the timing of the Anti-Secession Law counterproductive.
By contrast, China, which played a crucial role in brokering the six-party talks on the North Korean nuclear crisis, would be pressed to find ways of nudging Pyongyang back to the negotiating table after a nine-month standoff.
Zhang Liangui , professor of international relations at the Central Party School, said the deadlock was seen as giving time for North Korea to develop its nuclear weapons capability.