Cool on Politics, Hot on Economics? China Lays Out Terms for Stabilizing US Ties

Beijing has clearly and firmly outlined the conditions under which Sino-American relations can rebound from their rock-bottom level. The United States must choose between dialogue and confrontation, cooperation and conflict. China’s Central Foreign Affairs Office Director Wang Yi stated this during a meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. According to Western media reports, the meeting lasted three hours. The top Chinese diplomat told his counterpart that the United States should stop inflating the "China threat" theory and stop interfering in the PRC's internal affairs. He also stressed that China will not compromise or make concessions on Taiwan, and that the United States must respect the sovereignty of the People's Republic of China.

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Wang Yi's statement confirms that the issue of Taiwan lies at the core of China's interests and is the most vital concern in Sino-American relations, Alexei Maslov, director of the Institute of Asian and African Studies at Moscow State University, and expert with the Valdai International Discussion Club, told Sputnik.

"For China, sovereignty over Taiwan is a truly fundamental issue. The fact that China is emphasizing that there will be no concessions or revision of its position is important not only for the further resolution of the Taiwan issue. It is important for China's image in the world. China understands this very well, which is why the conversation is being conducted in such a heightened tone," Maslov emphasized.

On Sunday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. According to various sources, the talks lasted for a period that was said to have carried on from five to seven hours. The parties agreed to maintain high-level exchanges, continue the practice of consultations based on the guiding principles of China-US relations, and promote humanitarian and student exchanges.

Meanwhile, the negotiations have shown that the parties are not ready to resolve a number of issues due to Washington's position, according to the Valdai expert.

"China and the United States have been trying to return to the standard formula of 'cool on politics, hot on economics'. For example, the idea of expanding air travel between China and the United States or providing guarantees for American businesses is certainly a significant step toward normalizing economic relations," the expert pointed out.

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Nevertheless, there are several issues that neither the US nor China seem ready to sort out, Maslov noted. These include the US position on Taiwan, where we do not see any serious progress. It also includes the position on the settlement of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. The United States continues to put pressure on China, but Beijing is sticking to its previously stated stance. All in all, given the background of Blinken's visit, US policy shows absolutely contradictory trends.

"On the one hand, we see attempts by a number of major American companies, such as the visit by Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates to China, to establish relations, including in the field of high technology. But at the same time, the US government is trying to limit China's access to any high-tech contacts. This means that there is a split between the American establishment and American business in terms of the formats of interaction with China," Maslov noted.

Bilateral relations have hit rock-bottom since the establishment of diplomatic ties, so the negotiations in Beijing are crucial to stabilize and clarify each other's interests, Zheng Anguang, deputy director of the Institute of International Relations at Nanjing University, told Sputnik.

"The meeting between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and US Secretary of State Blinken in Beijing has become a necessary channel of communication in this complex period of Sino-American relations. The United States emphasizes that it sees China as a competitor in many areas, and it is using various means to contain and block China, resulting in bilateral relations reaching their lowest point in the history of diplomatic relations," the Chinese expert said.

According to Zheng Anguang, under these circumstances, meetings and personal interactions between high-level officials from China and the United States are of great significance in stabilizing China-US relations and helping the two sides better understand each other's interests, concerns and major demands. Undoubtedly, further contacts to address issues may require additional efforts from both China and the United States. Meanwhile, the United States is gathering allies to form so-called "groups" to counter China.

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"If this persistent idea cannot be overcome, it will be difficult to fundamentally improve bilateral relations. Therefore, in order to promote the growth of Sino-American relations after the decline, even to deepen cooperation in certain areas, the United States must dispel the fog of perceptions about China as a potential adversary at the strategic level. In any case, in the current situation, the meetings in Beijing have sent a positive and useful signal that the two countries can maintain communication and exchanges. Only by stabilizing the overall situation in bilateral relations can we hope to solve problems in the future," the expert said.

According to the US State Department, Blinken “emphasized the importance of diplomacy and maintaining open channels of communication across the spectrum of issues to reduce the risk of misperception and miscalculation" during the negotiations in Beijing.

Blinken has become the highest-ranking US official to visit China under the Biden administration. The last time a US diplomacy chief visited China was in October 2018. At the time of writing, official information has emerged that a meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and the US Secretary of State is transpiring in Beijing.