Advertisement
US-China relations
ChinaDiplomacy

China-US diplomatic backchannels dry up, making it harder to communicate in tough times

  • Deteriorating relationship falters without behind-the-scenes meetings and messages between Beijing and Washington
  • Coronavirus travel restrictions and a more belligerent diplomacy style on both sides make constructive communication difficult

Reading Time:4 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
Traditional routes of engagement between China and the US are no longer operating as effectively as they used to. Photo: Reuters
Jun Mai,Wendy WuandAdam Behsudi

This story is part of an ongoing series on US-China relations, jointly produced by the South China Morning Post and POLITICO, with reporting from Asia and the United States.

Advertisement
The coronavirus pandemic has accelerated a breakdown in the backchannel conversations that have so often underpinned – and sometimes rescued – relations between Beijing and Washington.
Chinese foreign ministry officials are pursuing their “Wolf Warrior” brand of diplomacy, hurling insults over Twitter, a platform banned in their own country. For his part, US President Donald Trump has taken to directly and repeatedly blaming China for the spread of the virus during his frequent press comments.

The flurry of behind-the-scenes meetings and messages – between government officials, business executives, former officials and academics – has ground to a halt as a result of the rising hostility and travel restrictions caused by the pandemic, according to people usually involved in the discussions.

02:06

Coronavirus pandemic creates ‘new Cold War’ as US-China relations sink to lowest point in decades

Coronavirus pandemic creates ‘new Cold War’ as US-China relations sink to lowest point in decades

“The pandemic has cut off personal meetings. That is very bad,” said Wang Huiyao, director with the Centre for China and Globalisation, a Beijing-based think tank that includes former Chinese officials and prominent Chinese scholars.

Advertisement

“Many messages can only be conveyed indirectly by spokesmen and media, which could compromise the effectiveness of the communication and easily lead to misunderstanding,” said Wang, who also sits on the advisory panel to the State Council, China’s cabinet.

Advertisement