The international relationship between the United States and the People's Republic of China is complex. Both countries have extremely extensive economic partnerships, and the large amount of trade between the two countries requires some positive political relations, but serious contradictions still exist. This is an economic partnership, but there is competition for hegemony in the Pacific , and the two countries are suspicious of each other's intentions. Therefore, both countries have adopted a cautious attitude towards each other as potential enemies while at the same time being extremely close economic partners. This relationship has been described by world leaders and scholars as the most important bilateral relationship in the world of the 21st century.
In 2020, when Joe Biden was elected President of the United States, US-China relations not only did not cool down, but also continued to deteriorate. In the first year of his term, the Biden administration took a series of tough actions; continuing to maintain a strategy to deal with China. The latest data shows that US-China bilateral trade in the first half of 2023 decreased by 19.6%, equivalent to 67.6 billion USD, compared to the same period in 2022. Meanwhile, bilateral trade flows last year reached a record 690 billion USD. In November 2022, US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping had their first meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Bali, Indonesia. The two leaders agreed to maintain communication lines, discuss issues of strategic importance in US-China relations, and work to avoid miscalculations. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has warned that the road to the US-China summit may not be “smooth.” He stressed that Beijing and Washington “need to improve relations as soon as possible and work together toward a summit in San Francisco between the two countries’ leaders.”
However, recently the relationship between the US and China has shown signs of warming up. On August 27, the US Secretary of Commerce is visiting China for 4 days to discuss solutions to economic and trade disagreements between the two sides. US officials said that US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo will bring to Beijing the message that Washington is not seeking to economically separate the host country. However, this message also emphasizes that the US will protect its national security in the high-tech field. At the meeting, Minister Vuong Van Dao emphasized that the China-US economic relationship is important not only to the two countries but also to the world. Mr. Vuong Van Dao expressed his willingness to cooperate to promote a more favorable policy mechanism, to enhance stable and predictable bilateral trade and investment cooperation.
US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo also said that stable economic relations between the US and China are very important not only for the two major economies. Annual bilateral trade exchanges reach more than 700 billion USD. Minister Raimondo mentioned that the two countries have coordinated to establish information exchange mechanisms and working groups to ensure that each side's actions are consistent with the bilateral relationship. After meeting with her Chinese counterpart, Minister of Commerce Wang Yuntao, US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said that the two sides will establish dialogue mechanisms to reduce misunderstandings related to trade issues, including agreeing to launch a dialogue on export control enforcement and a working group on trade issues.
US President Joe Biden held an hour-long meeting with visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on October 27 to promote bilateral relations. According to Xinhua News Agency, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called for the implementation of "five musts" in US-China relations. Minister Wang Yi emphasized that the two sides must uphold the common understanding reached by the leaders of the two countries; stabilize bilateral relations; maintain open communication channels; properly resolve disagreements, disputes and frictions; and promote mutually beneficial cooperation. During the meeting with US President Joe Biden on October 27, Minister Wang Yi affirmed that the One China principle and the three China-US joint communiques are the most important political foundation for bilateral relations, which must be maintained without interference.
He stated that China takes into account the US's hope to stabilize and improve bilateral relations, adding that both sides should act with a sense of responsibility to the world, history and people, and promote the stable and healthy development of China-US relations in line with the three principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and mutually beneficial cooperation. Mr. Wang Yi said that this is not only in the fundamental interests of the two countries and two peoples, but also the common aspiration of the international community. Most recently, on October 31, the White House confirmed that US President Joe Biden plans to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping in November in San Francisco.
According to CBS News, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre did not provide details on the meeting plan, but said both leaders are preparing to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in San Francisco in mid-November 2023. President Joe Biden said he looks forward to meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. I'm not going to go into details about the meeting that will take place in November in San Francisco. It will be a meeting and a constructive dialogue. The president is looking forward to it, Ms. Jean-Pierre said. Earlier in October, President Joe Biden said that a meeting between him and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the APEC Summit was a possibility. With positive signs in 2023, especially the relationship between the US and China in recent days, including the 3-day visit to the US by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, the visit is considered to mark another step forward for the two powers to reduce tensions, according to which many commentators believe that it is likely that in the near future, the relationship between the US and China will gradually warm up./.
Bui Tue (commentary and analysis)
Comment (0)