Chinese sayings are hot these days.

The United States Supreme Court, in its ruling on same-sex marriage, cited Confucius. 

And at the opening of the U.S.-China strategic and economic dialogue last Tuesday, speakers from both sides quoted Chinese proverbs, showing that they at least had something in common.

Vice President Joe Biden said that China and the United States together need to shape evolving rules “ranging from cyber space to outer space,” giving China a voice equal to that of the United States.

But he was also critical of China, without naming the country, especially in the area of cyber security, saying that “nations that use cyber technology as an economic weapon or profit from the theft of intellectual property are sacrificing tomorrow’s gains for short-term gains today. They diminish the innovative drive and determination of their own people.”

The American side also made it clear that China’s construction and militarization of artificial islands in the South China Sea remained a major issue.

Secretary of State John Kerry accepted that such issues were not going to be resolved quickly, but he said, “We do not accept that a narrowing of the differences is beyond our reach.”

Not surprisingly, the Chinese side was more subdued in its public presentations, highlighting common interests, such as job creation in the United States as the result of Chinese investments and American exports to China.

Little if any progress was recorded in the two major areas of cybertheft and the South China Sea.

In fact, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi gave a speech on Saturday, after the two-day dialogue’s end, in which he reasserted China’s “resolute determination” as well as its capabilities to “safeguard our justified rights and interests.”

But there was progress in some areas. In fact, the two sides released a long list of “outcomes,” some clearly significant.

For example, the two countries agreed to carry forward an agreement reached at the summit meeting in Beijing last November on rules of behavior for safety of air and maritime encounters.

So far, they only have a memorandum on maritime activities but, since air-to-air encounters pose a genuine danger, they announced they would expand the agreement to cover aerial activities as well.

Interestingly, they agreed to strive for an accord “before September 2015,” which is when Xi Jinping is scheduled to pay a state visit to Washington. Clearly, the goal is to announce an accord then.

The two sides have also been negotiating a bilateral investment treaty and are in the midst of discussing a negative list.

It is likely that an announcement regarding the treaty may be made during the summit as well.

However, the state of the bilateral relationship overall, while still being carefully managed, is clearly not good.

On Friday, the day after the dialogue ended, the United States released its annual country reports on human rights practices around the world.

The report on China painted a grim picture, saying in part: “Repression and coercion were routine, particularly against organizations and individuals involved in civil and political rights advocacy and public interest issues, ethnic minorities, and law firms that took on sensitive cases.”

Hours later, China responded by releasing its report on human rights in the United States.

The report was issued only days after the shootings in a Charleston church in which nine African-American civilians were killed, including the senior pastor.

The United States, the Chinese report said, “is haunted by spreading guns, frequent occurrence of violent crimes, the excessive use of force by police that infringed on citizens’ personal rights, as well as wide criticism of illegal eavesdropping that violated citizens’ right of privacy.”

Ironically, these incidents are not considered human rights abuses by the United States, which is concerned primarily with the deprivation of civil and political rights.

Besides the intractability of key issues, especially cyber security, there is the problem of a major lack of trust.

This was made clear when, a week before the dialogue’s start, the State Department announced that American officials will no longer stay at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel this year when they visit New York for the annual session of the United Nations General Assembly. The hotel was purchased last year by a Chinese insurance company for $1.95 billion.

Although the Chinese owner has said that Hilton will continue to run the hotel, the United States is undoubtedly concerned about security, especially since China is believed to eavesdrop on American officials and tamper with their computers when they stay in hotels in China.

This year, the State Department announced, its officials will stay at the New York Palace, a short walk away.

By Frank Ching

Frank Ching is a journalist and writer who has reported and commented on events in Asia, particularly China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. ― Ed.

(The China Post/Asia News Network)