????此次美國總統大選中，美國兩黨候選人米特?羅姆尼和巴拉克?奧巴馬都大肆指責中國，從匯率操縱國到不公平貿易問題，不一而足。如今隨著大選落幕，美國該如何與中國這個世界第二大經濟體相處呢？既然中美兩國經濟增長的相互依賴性日益加深，關系融洽總比劍拔弩張要強。本文作者建議美國不妨從下述三方面著手，建立良好的對華關系：

解決美國的財政困境

????美國的聯邦預算赤字已連續四年超過萬億美元大關。這么高的赤字水平不僅讓美國企業界感到不安，也讓希望在美國多做點生意的中國投資者躑躅。

????去年，受各方面政治角力的制約，奧巴馬未能帶領美國擺脫財政困境。如今大選已經結束，他必須再次嘗試。除非分裂的美國國會能夠很快達成一項削減預算赤字的方案，否則從明年1月1日起，美國必須削減政府支出約6,000億美元，還可能實施加稅政策。這些措施可能會把美國經濟再次推入衰退。

????這樣的不確定性妨礙了美國企業擴大招聘規模和投資規模。雖然我們從中國人那里聽到的說法不多，但這對他們也是利益攸關，布魯金斯學會（Brookings Instituion）高級研究員李侃如稱：“中國在美國經濟中有大量的投資。”

????中國仍是美國的主要債權人，持有1.15萬億美元的美國國債。這一數額超過其他任何國家。倒不是說如果美國短期內不達成削減赤字的方案，中國人就會立馬停止購買美國國債，但肯定會讓中國投資者三思。過去幾年，中國對美投資穩步增長：2012年前10個月，投資總額已達63億美元，顯著高于2011年的45億美元。

????如果奧巴馬想讓這些來自世界第二大經濟體的投資者繼續向美國投資，就得推動分裂的美國國會達成一致，讓這個國家走上更健康的財政道路。

跟中國新一屆領導人搞好關系

????隨著美國奧巴馬總統贏得連任，中國也將迎來新一屆領導人。但中國將根據完全不同的政治流程選舉新一屆領導人。

????大多數人，包括絕大多數中國人，都不確定未來會怎樣。

????雖然美國總統不能左右中國選擇什么樣的道路，但奧巴馬仍然有機會與中國新一屆領導人商定新的基調。

????“美國和中國事實上都不怎么信任對方的長期打算，這種不信任很大程度上是迫于無奈，”華盛頓布魯金斯學會高級研究員李侃如表示。我們還記得，此次美國大選的一大特色就是強硬的對華言論。兩位候選人在競選期間可能都批評過中國操縱匯率、不公平貿易等等問題，但當選后的奧巴馬必須小心處理這些話題。任何過于苛責或咄咄逼人的做法都可能導致中國新一屆領導人更激烈的回擊。與奧巴馬不同，中國新一屆領導人還需要建立自身的政治影響力。

不要再舉棋不定

????中國人希望在美國擴大投資，這一點很清楚。但美國似乎并不總是希望獲得投資。于是，中國投資者得到的信號就忽左忽右。

????最近，中國似乎成了華盛頓的活靶子。在這方面，奧巴馬或許比羅姆尼還好點，但“中國威脅論”加劇了中國人的擔憂——美國可能正在疏遠中國，避免跟中國有更多生意上的往來。

????During the U.S. presidential campaign, both Mitt Romney and Barack Obama piled on criticisms of China – from being a currency manipulator to playing unfairly in the way it trades with the U.S. and other economies. Now that the race is behind us, how should the U.S. approach China, the world's second-largest economy? A stronger relationship is better than a strained one, given that the two economies depend more and more on each other to grow. Here are three ways the U.S. can begin to cultivate the bond.

Resolve America's fiscal woes?

????The U.S. federal budget deficit surpassed $1 trillion for four years in a row – a level that not only unnerves executives across corporate America, but also Chinese investors looking to do more business in the U.S.

????Last year, Obama wasn't able to lead the nation out of its fiscal woes amid all the political wrangling. Now that the election is over, he will have to try again. Unless a divided Congress can quickly reach a deal to reduce the deficit, about $600 billion in government spending cuts and higher taxes threaten to kick in on Jan. 1 and possibly push the U.S. economy back into recession.

????The uncertainty has stalled U.S. businesses from hiring and investing more. Though we've heard less from the Chinese, they have plenty at stake as well, says Ken Lieberthal, senior fellow at the Brookings Instituion. "The Chinese are heavily invested in the U.S. economy."

????China remains a major lender to the U.S., owning $1.15 trillion of its government debt. That's more than any other country. It's not as if the Chinese will suddenly stop buying U.S. debt if a deficit deal isn't struck immediately, but it could certainly make investors from the Far East think twice. Chinese investments into the U.S. have steadily risen over the past several years: With about two months left in 2012, it has totaled $6.3 billion, higher than the $4.5 billion in 2011.

????And so if Obama wants investors from the world's second largest economy to continue investing in the U.S., the president will somehow need to bring a split Congress together and put the nation on a healthier fiscal path.

Make nice with China's new leaders?

????As the U.S. starts another term under President Obama, China will also begin a new chapter of its own. China, however, will take on new leaders under a far different political process.

????Most, including the vast majority of Chinese, aren't certain what to expect.

????While the U.S. president will have little control over China's path, Obama will have an opportunity to set a new tone with the new leadership.

????"The U.S. and China really don't trust each other's long-term intensions and that distrust is very coercive," says Ken Lieberthal, senior fellow at Brookings Institution, a Washington DC-based think tank. As we recall, the U.S. presidential race was marked by get-tough on China talks. But while the candidates might have pressed China over currency manipulation and other issues over unfair trade practices, Obama will have to approach those topics delicately. Anything too punitive or aggressive could prompt China's new leaders to strike back harder, as unlike Obama, they will be trying to establish themselves politically.

Quit with those mixed signals

????It's clear the Chinese want to invest more in the U.S. But the U.S. doesn't always seem to want that. Which only leaves Chinese investors with mixed signals.

????Lately, China seemed to be all but a punching bag in Washington. Perhaps less so for Obama than Romney, but the 'fear China' rhetoric has aggravated Chinese concerns that the U.S. is distancing away from doing more business with China.