Huge new US embassy reflects growing US-China ties (2nd largest in the world behind Iraq's)

[maddezmom]

Source: AP

BEIJING - A massive new U.S. Embassy, the second-largest in the world after the heavily fortified compound in Baghdad, formally opens in the Chinese capital this week, a testament to the depth and breadth of the ties binding the trading partners and sometimes rivals.

President Bush, who will be attending the Beijing Olympics opening ceremonies Friday, is to preside over the ribbon-cutting at the $434 million, 500,000-square-foot compound that same day. Embassy personnel will not move in until after the Olympics in case there are glitches in communications or other systems.

The eight-story main building, wrapped in an outer envelope of freestanding transparent and opaque glass, was designed with traditional Chinese elements in mind. Narrow walkways lined with bamboo link diplomatic "neighborhoods."

"The scale and size of this embassy — set on 10 acres in a new diplomatic zone — symbolizes the future of the relationship as it expands in scope and breadth," said Victor Cha, director of Asian studies at Georgetown University and author of a forthcoming book, "Beyond the Final Score: The Politics of Sport in Asia."



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