After the 2008 financial crisis, many Chinese expressed the mistaken belief that the US was in terminal decline, and that China should be more assertive – particularly in pursuing its maritime claims in the South China Sea – at the expense of America’s allies and friends. During Obama’s first year in office, his administration placed a high priority on cooperation with China, but Chinese leaders seemed to misread US policy as a sign of weakness.
奥巴马十一月的访问向中国传递了新信息。08年金融危机之后，许多中国人认为美国将一蹶不振，中国理应力抗美国的盟友和伙伴——特别是在南海问题上——以大国形象示人。奥巴马执政第一年间重视中美合作，而这一意愿却被中方解读为美国已现颓势。