OpinionWashington needs time to repair Trump’s damage. The US-China talks and its stance on Taiwan have bought just that

Biden’s team wants to sound tough on Taiwan, but not push Beijing over the edge by abandoning the one-China policy

Keeping the peace will give the US time to deal with the pandemic, right social wrongs, and restore competitiveness at home

4-MIN READ4-MIN

Chinese and American flags flutter outside the building of a US company in Beijing. Photo: Reuters

Published: 1:02pm, 26 Mar 2021Updated: 1:01pm, 26 Mar 2021

Global media had a rare treat on March 18-19, watching the top diplomats from China and the United States depart from normal diplo-speak and score points off each other in Anchorage, Alaska. Accusing each other of violating protocol and etiquette, they squared off over perceived signs of disrespect, hegemonic behaviour, interference in internal affairs, and more.

But when the cameras were gone and the diplomats had boarded their planes, their meetings – the public session, plus three private sessions – were described as “a high-level strategic dialogue that both sides believe was timely and helpful and deepened mutual understanding”.

What gives? Fans of professional wrestling might recognise the process: “I will pretend that you beat me to a pulp, if you pretend that I took you within an inch of your life.” Both their audiences will be happy. In today’s terms, China has shown itself as standing up to American bullying at long last, and Washington will show it is not going to take Beijing’s aggression and cheating any more. The media and commentators in both countries ate it up.