Under Trump, Sino-US ties are a work in progress
Some of the rhetoric has cooled since the new American president took office, yet there is work to do to overcome mistrust
Donald Trump’s personality and political inexperience made a rocky start in relations between the United States and China inevitable. His phone conversation with President Xi Jinping (習近平 ) last month took away some of the uncertainty. The diplomatic dust has further settled after State Councillor Yang Jiechi’s (楊潔箎) series of meetings in Washington. Predictability still cannot be assured, but a good start has been made to finding the common ground that both nations need to ensure sturdy ties.
Yang, the highest-ranking Chinese official to visit the US since Trump took office, briefly met the American president during a trip that also included talks with Vice-President Mike Pence, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, senior adviser Jared Kushner, chief strategist Stephen Bannon and National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster. The meetings centred on the message of cooperation and working for mutual benefit. Agreement of the need for improved ties was voiced and the importance of a constructive relationship reaffirmed. Opportunities certainly lie ahead if the two most powerful economies can settle differences and better understand one another.