The photo’s prominent position on the front page of China’s main official newspaper speaks volumes: In it, the nation’s leader Xi Jinping smiles and shakes hands with the president. Joe Biden on a background of the Chinese and American flags.
For months the newspaper People’s newspaper It featured Xi’s warnings that China must get stronger militarily and politically for an era of strife, denunciations of US policy, and warnings from Communist Party officials that “hostile forces“, that is, the United States was eager to sabotage the rise of China.
The day after Xi and Biden met for nearly three hours, the rosy photo of the two men in Tuesday’s newspaper, as well as the cautiously hopeful comments of the Chinese Foreign Minister, Wangyi, They add to signs that Beijing is betting that nations can halt a downward spiral in relations, even if deep-seated disagreements persist.
“This meeting was a continuation of the exchanges so far and portends a new starting pointWang told reporters after the summit, according to a transcript from China’s foreign ministry that also appeared in the People’s Daily.
“The United States and China should show the world that they can handle and manage your differences“, She said.
But Wang also offered a reminder that the long-standing deadlock on the future of Taiwan remains a source of potential crisis.
Xi, like other Chinese leaders, has insisted that the autonomous island be eventually unified with Beijing.
In talks with Xi, Biden said Washington would stick to its policy of “a porcelain”, which recognizes Beijing’s claim to the island, but stops short of accepting it and opposes any move to unilaterally change Taiwan’s status.
On this and other points of disagreement, including human rights and sanctions, Wang said the Biden administration must do more to reassure Chinese leaders.
“Stop trying contain and defeat China, stop meddling in China’s internal affairs and stop harming China’s sovereignty, security and development interests,” he said.
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Source: Clarin
