The Group of Two that could change the world - Morningbull

nuclear weapons proliferation. We certainly need to collaborate closely in expanding the
current Group of Eight leading industrial nations to a G14 or G16, in order to widen the
global circle of decision-makers and to develop a more inclusive response to the economic
crisis.
But to promote all that we need an informal G2. The relationship between the US and China
has to be a comprehensive partnership, paralleling our relations with Europe and Japan. Our
top leaders should therefore meet informally on a regular schedule for personal in-depth
discussions not just about our bilateral relations but about the world in general.
All this points in a politically as well as philosophically ambitious direction. The Chinese
emphasis on “harmony” can serve as a useful point of departure for the US-Chinese summits.
In an era in which the risks of a massively destructive “clash of civilisations” are rising, the
deliberate promotion of a genuine conciliation of civilisations is urgently needed. It is a task
that President-elect Barack Obama – who is a conciliator at heart – should find congenial, and
which President Hu Jintao – who devised the concept of “a harmonious world” – should
welcome. It is a mission worthy of the two countries with the most extraordinary potential for
shaping our collective future.
The writer was President Carter’s national security adviser. This article is based on a speech
in Beijing this week