Editorial | Silence broken between Xi Jinping and Joe Biden in small step towards rebuilding China-US ties
- Future Sino-US disputes appear unavoidable, but an ice-breaking Lunar New Year phone call between the presidents lays the foundations for improved dialogue
A single well-wishing phone call for Lunar New Year will not erase the tensions in China and the United States’ rocky relationship.
With the sides far apart on fundamental issues, rivalry and conflict will continue for the foreseeable future, although potential areas of cooperation were articulated.
Working together on common ground will improve trust while giving space to manage differences.
The statements released by both camps were telling and domestic audiences were clearly in mind.
Beijing emphasised the need to cooperate or risk disaster and that it would never give ground on matters of sovereignty such as Taiwan, Hong Kong and Xinjiang.
Biden offered to work with Xi on global priorities of mutual interest, although he highlighted concerns about Chinese economic practices, as well as claimed human rights abuses and assertive actions.