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Currently this "strategic" aspect
of the relationship is secondary.
Instead, U.S. officials talk more
abou t "bringing China into the
world financia! and trad–
ing system." In other
words, trade over geopol–
itics.
The pros pects of
markedly increased trade
with the People's Repub–
lic is especially attractive
to U.S. industrialists
who al ready are deali ng
in ever- increasing vol–
ume wi th the countries
of the Orient.
In a speech before the
World Affairs Counci l of
Northern California in
San Francisco, Premier
Zhao reminded Ameri–
cans of their growing
stakes in the countries of
the Pacific r im. He said:
"China, with its
1,000,000,000 people, has
now embarked on a long
march and is concentrat–
ing its efforts on socialist
modernization. Thanks to
its endeavor of more than
a century. Japan has
become a world economic
power. The Soviet U nion
is gradually shifting its
focus of investment and economic
developrnent from west of the
Urals to the Far East.
"On the other hand, the econom–
ic center of gravity in the United
States is moving from the east to
the west, that is, to the Pacific
coast. In fact, the trade
volume of the United
States with Asían coun–
tries has already out–
stripped that with Euro–
pean countries. ...
recent
Wa/1 Street Journa/
su rvey
of over 200 business executives
from 16 European countr i es,
which produced "stark evidence"
that Europe has declined as a
sou rce of technology leadership,
witb the U.S. maintaining its top
position and Japan
growing in importance.
Drifting Away from
Europe
lt
is a fact of immense
importance , though
recognized only faintly
by most Americans,
that culturally, eco–
nomically-and soon
strategically as well–
the U ni ted S tates is
drifting out of the
Atlantic orbit.
For years now there
has been a perceptible
shift in the United
States away from its
historie attachment to
Europe into a much
closer relationship with
the nations of the
Pacific basin.
"The overwhelming
European influence on
our culture is on the
wane and giving way
"Particularly notewor–
thy is the fact that a num–
ber of countries in the
Pacific region have stayed
in tbe lead in economic
development, while many
industrially advanced
count r ies, being plagued
by what is known as stag–
flation, have been slow in
economic advance for the
past decade or so. This
has led to the prediction
by many people in the
In People's Republic of China crea tive artists
revitalize ancient traditions: top, jade c.arver in
Guangzhou (Canton); left, sculpting at Buddhist
cave site at city of Loyang; above, painting a
roadside scene in free hours.
world that the 21st century will be
a Pacific century."
Backing up Zhao's analysis is a
to the Orient," Frederick Allen,
Morgan Guaranty Trust Co. vice–
president, commented in an inter-
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