China’s Xi lauds ‘new positioning’ in ties with US
Trump’s visit to Beijing, the first by a U.S. president in nearly a decade, will last until Friday, when the Iran war has lowered his approval ratings at home ahead of midterm elections.
According to the statement made by the Chinese foreign ministry, Xi said that both leaders agreed that establishing a constructive, strategically stable relationship will guide relations in the next three years and beyond.
Xi said such ties are primarily based on cooperation but also on moderate competition for “a normal stability in which differences can be controlled and a lasting stability in which peace can be expected,” the ministry said.
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Analysts said references to “constructive, strategically stable” relations indicate China is pursuing phases in relations that provide a diplomatic framework within which it can manage multifaceted ties with the United States.
“This is new language, and I think it reflects China’s desire to put more institutional barriers on U.S.-China relations, both in terms of competition and cooperation,” said Joe Mazur, a geopolitical analyst at Beijing-based consultancy Trivium China. But international relations expert Zhao Minghao said frictions such as the Iran conflict and recent US sanctions on Chinese companies continue to “complicate US-China dynamics” and could test the durability of the new framework. Expert at Shanghai Fudan University.
Even when talking about cooperation, Xi emphasized that the United States was being “extremely careful” in handling the issue of Taiwan, China’s democratically governed island, although Taipei denied the claim.
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“If mismanaged, the two countries may collide or even enter into conflict, which could drag the entire China-US relationship into an extremely dangerous situation,” the Chinese leader said.
