Advertisement
China expects US to ease some restrictions on exchanges under Joe Biden, military adviser says
- That could include more student visas for Chinese and reopening consulates closed under Donald Trump, according to Yao Yunzhu
- She made the remarks at a regional security forum in Beijing where foreign policy experts called for regular dialogue to resume
Reading Time:3 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
China is expecting the United States to ease some restrictions on exchanges between the two countries when US president-elect Joe Biden takes office as part of efforts to repair the relationship, according to a Chinese military adviser.
That could include issuing more student visas for Chinese in the US and reopening consulates closed under President Donald Trump, said Yao Yunzhu, a senior adviser with the official China Association of Military Science.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Beijing Xiangshan Forum on Tuesday, Yao said the new US administration may also end moves like recent raids on Chinese ships and planes arriving in the US where crew have reportedly been questioned about their Communist Party membership.
Advertisement
“We hope the new US government will remove restrictions on people-to-people exchanges ... restrictions on such exchanges damage the foundations of China-US relations,” she said.
A Biden presidency could be an opportunity to improve relations, Yao said.
Advertisement
“He has a much more professional foreign policy and defence team, which means it will be easier to communicate and reach consensus,” Yao said. “Biden values multilateralism – China has also been advocating multilateralism. We could therefore expand cooperation under a multilateral framework, such as on climate change, the pandemic, and North Korea.”
Advertisement
Select Voice
Choose your listening speed
Get through articles 2x faster
1.25x
250 WPM
Slow
Average
Fast
1.25x