China, US must return to ‘healthy, stable’ ties ‘at an early date’, Foreign Minister Wang Yi tells Biden

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with US President Joe Biden in Washington, expressing the need for China and the United States to return to a healthy and stable relationship as soon as possible. This hour-long meeting was a precursor to a potential discussion between Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Apec summit in California the following month. Prior to his meeting with Biden, Wang had engaged in talks with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and national security adviser Jake Sullivan. Wang emphasized to Biden the importance China places on its relationship with the US and expressed his hope to stabilize and improve bilateral relations.

Wang urged for responsible actions towards the world, history, and people, advocating for mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation as proposed by President Xi Jinping. He also highlighted the one-China principle and the three joint communiques as the most important political foundation for bilateral ties, referring to the policies governing Washington's stance on Taiwan. These principles, he insisted, must be effectively maintained and not interfered with. Andy Mok, a senior research fellow at the Beijing-based Centre for China and Globalisation, noted that Wang's position reflects his commitment to ensuring that China responds calmly to any situation. This demonstrates China's resolve and confidence in its objectives and approach, whether in domestic matters like Xinjiang and Hong Kong, or global challenges such as tensions with the US.

Biden conveyed his greetings to Xi, expressing the US's willingness to maintain communication with China and jointly respond to global challenges. Wang's three-day visit is part of efforts by Chinese and US diplomats to lay the groundwork for a potential meeting between Xi and Biden at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in San Francisco. A senior Biden administration official confirmed that preparations for such a meeting were underway. The official stated that the decision to announce the meeting would be left to the Chinese side, as Beijing often confirms trips made by leaders much closer to the date. Mok suggested that a meeting between Xi and Biden would create a more positive atmosphere and optics that can set the stage for further improvement in relations.