“it took Washington’s strategic focus off of Beijing and it bought nearly eight years of relatively smooth, stable, and constructive U.S.-China relations. The relationship has never been as stable or cooperative since.”
9/11 certainly did impact US-China relations, as the then new Bush 43 administration had strategic competition with China in its sights as the No. 1 foreign and military policy priority—but with 9/11 China all of a sudden became a key “partner” in the “global war on terror” (GWOT). Chinese President Jiang Zemin was reported to have witnessed the planes hitting the twin towers in New York live on CNN, and immediately thereafter the Chinese government tried to put through a (secure) phone call from Jiang to President Bush. Of course, Bush was in no position to receive such a call, but a few weeks later the two leaders spoke and President Jiang offered the United States China’s full cooperation against al-Qaeda and attacking the Taliban (this included briefly permitting overflights of Chinese territory to bomb the Taliban). It was very astute of Jiang and the Chinese government to take advantage of 9/11 in this way, as it took Washington’s strategic focus off of Beijing and it bought nearly eight years of relatively smooth, stable, and constructive US-China relations. The relationship has never been as stable or cooperative since.