US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is scheduled to meet with Wang Yi, the top Chinese foreign policy official, on Thursday during the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Jakarta, according to an announcement by the US State Department.
Wang is currently representing China in the meetings involving the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and partner countries following the disclosure that Foreign Minister Qin Gang would be unable to attend due to health-related issues.
Blinken’s recent visit to China marked a significant milestone, being the first visit by a US Secretary of State in five years. During his visit, Blinken met with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Foreign Minister Qin Gang, and Wang Yi. The visit aimed to lay the groundwork for thawing the frosty relationship between the two nations.
Diplomatic Flurries Aim to Strengthen US-China Relations Post-Blinken Visit.
In the aftermath of Blinken’s visit, there has been a flurry of diplomatic outreach between the United States and China, aiming to compensate for the deterioration of diplomatic channels during the Trump administration.
US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen visited China last week, engaging in discussions with high-level economists and Premier Li Qiang. The talks primarily focused on trade irritants such as tariffs and various policy issues between the two nations. Yellen emphasized the impossibility of decoupling the Chinese and US economies, stressing the need for diversification instead.
John Kerry’s Visit to China for Climate Discussions
From July 16 to July 19, John Kerry, the Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, is set to visit Beijing. His primary objective is to engage with officials from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in discussions about the climate crisis. Kerry aims to collaborate with the PRC on enhancing implementation and ambition in addressing climate issues and supporting the success of COP28. This visit marks the third high-level visit to China by senior officials from the Biden administration in recent weeks.
Small Steps Toward Easing Tensions Between Superpowers
Despite these high-level engagements, significant breakthroughs in mitigating the icy relations between the United States and China have yet to be achieved. Nevertheless, these diplomatic endeavors can be seen as incremental steps toward diffusing tensions between the world’s two largest economies.
Blinken’s visit to China was perceived as a positive step in managing the US-China relationship, although efforts to revive military communication channels between the two nations were unsuccessful.
Renewed Bilateral Dialogue on Military Matters
In a recent development, Xie Feng, China’s ambassador to the United States, held discussions with a senior US defense official for Asia on Wednesday. This indicates a renewed start to bilateral dialogue on military matters between the two nations. Following the 90-minute-long discussions, Pentagon spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Martin Meiners confirmed that Xie Feng emphasized the Department’s commitment to maintaining open military-to-military communication channels between the United States and the PRC.
Unresolved Issues Hamper Progress
Despite the recent diplomatic engagements, key issues between the United States and China remain unresolved, hindering substantial progress in their bilateral relationship. One such issue is the hacking incident that commenced in mid-May.
On Tuesday, Microsoft and the White House issued statements revealing that hackers based in China orchestrated a cyber espionage campaign to acquire sensitive information. The breach targeted email accounts from approximately two dozen organizations, including several US government agencies. The Chinese government, however, has denied these allegations.
Prospects for Gradual Diplomatic Improvement
While no major breakthroughs are expected, the meeting between Blinken and Wang Yi holds promise for gradually improving diplomatic relations and mitigating the risk of an outright conflict between the United States and China. These recent diplomatic efforts and ongoing engagements may lay the groundwork for an official summit between US President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in the coming months.
