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Opinion | Will Xi meet Biden? Why China is wary of US diplomatic intentions
- The strained relationship between the US and Russia has not prevented Joe Biden from meeting Vladimir Putin
- However, China can’t trust diplomatic efforts by a US administration that is intent on confronting and containing it
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As the No 2 US diplomat Wendy Sherman kicks off her Asian trip this week, no one has completely ruled out the possibility that she will visit China.
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Even before her trip, signals were sent out on several occasions hinting at a high-level engagement between the United States and China. However, whether it is White House Indo-Pacific coordinator Kurt Campbell’s expectations of a meeting between Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping, or US national security adviser Jake Sullivan’s suggestion of a Biden-Xi meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit, China has yet to say yes.
“Of course we hope to resume dialogue, but it depends on whether the US is sincere,” Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said at the World Peace Forum in Beijing, when asked whether there would be a high-level meeting between China and the US this year.
Wang stressed that the most important thing for China now is to continue to handle its own affairs well. Wang’s attitude was also echoed by officials for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Many have cited cultural and psychological reasons as explanations for China’s reservations. As oriental culture is more sensitive about maintaining reputations and saving face, high-level engagements should be conducted in a friendly environment that may have been specifically created.
04:07
Alaska summit: China tells US not to underestimate Beijing’s will to safeguard national dignity
Alaska summit: China tells US not to underestimate Beijing’s will to safeguard national dignity
So, in the eyes of many Chinese people, when the US announced sanctions on Chinese and Hong Kong officials just before the Alaska talks in March, it was a humiliation and far from a friendly curtain-raiser.
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