Wang Yi (王毅), member of the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Political Bureau and Minister of Foreign Affairs, visits the United States this week. The possibility of a US-China summit meeting has increased at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in San Francisco from the 11th to the 17th of next month.
The U.S. State Department announced on the 23rd (local time) that “Director Wang will visit Washington from the 26th to the 28th,” and that “he will discuss bilateral relations, regional issues, and global issues with U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken.” Director Wang is expected to coordinate the summit agenda with Secretary of State Blinken.
If the US-China summit takes place, it will be one year since the G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia last November, and six years and seven months since President Xi’s visit to the US since April 2017.
China is taking a conciliatory attitude toward the United States, as if keeping the ‘big event’ of the summit in mind. On this day, the U.S.-China Economic Working Group meeting agreed upon in Beijing in July of this year by Vice Premier Heifeng and U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen was held virtually for the first time. The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that Deputy Prime Minister Heo also plans to visit the United States soon and meet with Secretary Yellen and Commerce Secretary Gina Lamondo.
In addition, the United States will attend the Xiangshan Forum, an international security consultative body, held in Beijing from the 29th to the 31st at the invitation of the Chinese authorities. The Xiangshan Forum has been held since 2006 under the auspices of the Chinese Academy of Military Science and the International Academy of Strategic Studies. So far, dialogue in the defense field between the two countries has been halted, with China demanding the withdrawal of U.S. sanctions against Defense Minister Li Shangfu as a prerequisite. It is known that Director Lee was involved in a corruption case and was virtually forced out of office.
WSJ said, “China is embarking on a conciliatory offensive against the United States,” adding, “However, it is difficult for the current relationship between the two countries to fundamentally change through the U.S.-China summit. “The meeting itself will be the most important outcome,” he analyzed.
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Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.