Is the internet destroying China-US relations?

China and the US have history - a history plagued with trade disputes and political hostility. In recent years the two have been in serious competition over the development of new technology and renewable energy sources, whilst also scrambling to beat each other to obtain the world's largest and most lucrative oil reserves. Continuing issues surrounding Tibet have only served to heighten tensions between the two nations. Now, the recent trade dispute of tire tariffs has inevitably led to even more anti-American sentiment sweeping its way across China.

However, there is one reason America-bashing has worsened within the communist state - the internet. Nowadays, any flicker of dispute between China and the US, whether over trade or Tibet, the growing level of both international and Chinese bloggers and internet commentators has become a disturbing and potentially dangerous trend.

BusinessWeek reports how Kaiser Kuo, the former Ogilvy China digital guru, recently echoed this notion at a recent speech at the CLSA China Forum in Shanghai this week. Kuo argued that the internet has led to an extreme polarization of views between China and the US in what he dubs "Red Necks vs. Red Guards". Seeing as China-US relations appear to have improved significantly under the Obama administration, it may come as a surprise to many that certain analysts are voicing such concern. However, whereas things may appear more stable and friendly in the offline world, the online world paints an extremely different picture of China-US relations. According to Kuo, online "things have deteriorated really, really badly."

With internet users enjoying more and more freedom in China, the exchanging of views and opinion has never been easier, meaning online "storms" can gather and spread rapidly. Even though diplomatic relations between Chinese and US officials look to be healthier, it is unlikely that the Chinese government is concerned over increasing anti-US sentiment spreading throughout its hundreds of millions of online users. Any internal unrest that isn't directed at the Chinese government appears safe.

However, Chinese leadership is becoming increasingly sensitive to views banded around in chat rooms and blogs within China, and popular opinion has become something Beijing is wary of for the first time.

Kuo voiced his concern: "It is not just in western democracies where populism is percolating up to national policies...Unchecked this will strain the political relationship [between the U.S. and China] and constrain policy choices.

"The internet is making us more tribal, more fractured, more polarized.....people are touching noses but not seeing eye-to-eye in Cyberspace."

The only way in which to ease the online tensions, is to appeal for Western online users to assist in dousing the flames. Western readers must close the gap in opinion. Kuo presents a number of reasons in which online communities can help: First, Western users should drop their condescending attitudes that assume because the Chinese are caught beyond the Great Firewall that they are to be pitied. Second, Kuo suggests people try to learn what the Chinese think when they aren't on the defensive. Third, learn some Chinese history, especially from the last 150 years. And finally, take advantage of bridge bloggers who monitor the Chinese internet and provide a summary for non-Chinese speaking readers.

It is quite an ask to expect "netizens" to take time out to seriously consider what repercussions their web blogging and commenting may have on a wider political scale, especially when the average user hardly expects anyone to take notice of what they are actually saying. Expecting users to become more accountable and take responsibility for the way in which they use the internet is a tall order, especially when US citizens are unlikely to see the same commitment from their Chinese counterparts.

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