China commends the cordial meeting between Xi and Biden as a shift in tone.

By Maggie On Nov 16, 2023

China has lauded the “warm” meeting between Xi Jinping and Joe Biden in California, a significant change in tone following months of negotiations to restore stability to the tense relationship between the two leaders.

China commends the cordial meeting between Xi and Biden as a shift in tone. According to a readout from China’s foreign ministry, the US-China relationship is “the most important bilateral relationship in the world,” and “a stable and growing China is good for the United States and the entire world.”

In recent months, Beijing’s official discourse has shifted from aggression towards the United States to conciliation. The United States was recently referred to as an “old friend” in an editorial published in People’s Daily, the official publication of the Communist Party.

Hua Chunying, spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry and assistant minister for foreign affairs, underscored the amicable personal and political relations between the United States and China.

She shared a photo of the two leaders beaming together on social media. In the photo, Biden appears to be displaying a smartphone photo of the Chinese president standing in front of the Golden Gate Bridge.

During World War II, Hua also shared an image of the Flying Tigers, a squadron of American fighter pilots who assisted in China’s defense against Japan. Hua proclaimed that the Chinese and American people would “never forget” one another. In recent months, Beijing has reintroduced the Flying Tigers as an illustration of constructive cooperation between the United States and China.

However, China’s interpretation of the Xi-Biden meeting stated that “the United States should not devise schemes to stifle and contain China,” which analysts said echoed “containment” rhetoric from the Cold War. Before Thursday’s readout, Beijing had accused the United States of fostering a “new cold war.” However, according to the report, Biden reaffirmed that this was not his intention.

During a dinner hosted by the US-China Business Council and the National Committee on US-China Relations on Wednesday, Xi expressed his admiration for the Flying Tigers and disclosed that he had maintained correspondence with several of them.

“Are we adversaries or partners?” was the most pressing query Xi posed to the United States and China.

“China never places a wager against the United States, nor does it intervene in its internal affairs,” he stated. China has no intention of contesting or unseating the United States. We would rather see a prosperous United States that is self-assured, receptive to new ideas, and continually expanding. Similarly, neither the United States nor China should wager against the other nor intervene in its internal affairs. Instead, It should embrace a prosperous, stable, and tranquil China.”

A standing acclaim greeted Xi after his discourse at the dinner. Reported attendees included Tim Cook of Apple and Elon Musk of Tesla. Individual tickets to the event began at $2,000 (£1,612). Analysts hypothesized that Xi’s choice to address an audience with a business focus indicated his intention to underscore China’s receptiveness to foreign corporations.

Despite the cordial rhetoric that Xi and Biden have exchanged, several points of tension remain. One is that the United States has tightened export restrictions on advanced technology in response to China’s struggling economy. Thursday marks the implementation of regulations about the export of chipmaking technology, which are intended to restrict China’s capacity to produce the most sophisticated semiconductors.

Xi stated at the Wednesday meeting that such actions “seriously harm China’s legitimate interests.”

Regarding Taiwan, the primary source of contention between the two superpowers, limited advancements were achieved. Sure experts in China, as well as some in the United States, are concerned that the Biden administration’s rhetorical support for the self-governing island, which China recognizes as its own, is inconsistent with the officially supported “one China” principle.

Xi stated that the United States should “cease arming Taiwan and support China’s peaceful reunification,” adding that “the Taiwan question continues to be the most critical and delicate matter” in their bilateral ties. However, Vice President Biden stated that the United States will continue to arm Taiwan as a deterrent.

Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan last year as the departing speaker of the House of Representatives exacerbated Chinese apprehensions about U.S. support for the island. This prompted Beijing to retaliate angrily and suspend several communication channels, including those about drug control and the military.

Wednesday saw some indications of a reduction in these tensions as the two leaders reached an accord regarding fentanyl and agreed to resume military dialogues. The United States and China issued a new joint climate statement a few days earlier.