The United States and China continue to put their relationship to rights. This week, the two countries agreed to a deal that would provide compensation for the damage caused by the NATO missile attack last May on the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade and the angry demonstrations that followed in Beijing. The latest agreement is another promising development for the region. Cordial relations between the U.S. and China are essential to regional peace and prosperity. Unfortunately, the new mood may prove to be temporary: There will be ample opportunities for the opponents of rapprochement to shift public sentiment once again.
The missile attack on the Belgrade embassy infuriated the Chinese, many of whom refused to believe American assurances that it was an accident. Efforts to convince China that it was a mistake have slowly borne fruit, despite growing evidence that Beijing's suspicions were indeed well-founded. Perhaps the leadership decided that they had milked the episode for all they could, especially after last month's agreement on the terms of China's admission to the World Trade Organization.
In August, the U.S. agreed to pay $4.5 million to the 20 Chinese who were injured and the families of the three Chinese journalists who were killed in the attack. Under the terms of this week's deal, Washington will pay China $28 million in compensation for damage to the embassy, and Beijing will pay $2.87 million to the U.S. for damage to U.S. facilities caused by Chinese rioters following the attack.