Editorial | Next move up to US as China delivers ‘to do’ lists on relations
- In its most recent talks with Washington, which at least kept channels of communication open between the two rivals, Beijing took a more pragmatic approach and made its position clear
Relations between China and the United States are so fraught that no single meeting of diplomats could bring about a prompt turnaround.
Talks held recently by State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and foreign vice-minister Xie Feng with American Undersecretary of State Wendy Sherman in the Chinese city of Tianjin would therefore have seemed mostly about keeping open channels of communication.
The measured tones of the talks were in stark contrast to the ill-tempered sparring of the nations’ top diplomats when they met in Alaska in March. Those discussions were meant to smooth relations, but the nature of the discourse and subsequent tit-for-tat actions made the situation tenser.
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Gloves off at top-level US-China summit in Alaska with on-camera sparring
Sherman’s visit was aimed at resuming working-level dialogue and its taking place proved a willingness to improve ties. But moving to the next stage with higher-level negotiations that eventually lead to the goal of a face-to-face meeting between President Xi Jinping and Biden is, for now, no nearer.
