Obama, Hu give nothing away

Peculiarly enough, both US President Barack Obama and his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao sounded like each other at the end of the former's closely scrutinised visit to Beijing.

The leader of one superpower upped the ante, when meeting the head of an emerging one, only for both to realise that despite their differences there were a few disarming similarities as well — their rigid policies on defence, climate change, trade, human-rights issues, North Korea and Iran being cases in point.

This explains why Obama and Hu described their relationship as being on the ‘cusp' of moving forward. This does not say much.

Much of what has been going on in Beijing resembles a classic fencing contest: parry, thrust and cut. But through the diplomatic manoeuvres it is evident that China and the US are acutely keen on minimising their many differences. This meeting should serve as a platform towards setting the tone for future discussions and both countries realise the importance of this.

Perhaps it is encouraging that both leaders did not shy away from the ‘burning' issues that have typified their relations. But spontaneity again lost out to sterile, stifled and oblique statements and reporters were not allowed to ask questions.