Today (28), another phone call took place between Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping. The dialogue took place in the context of great sensitivity in bilateral relations, which for many experts was at its worst in decades.
Three main agendas are at the center of the discussions: 1) the war between Russia and Ukraine; 2) economic competition between the United States and China; and 3) tensions over Taiwan. At the heart of the concerns, especially on the North American side, is a single objective: to guarantee minimum stability in the face of the already problematic global scenario.
Regarding the first and second issues, it’s clear that Biden is interested in taking a stand, but is cautious. While countries’ interests differ in these areas, the US president’s focus, according to his own spokesmen, is to keep lines of communication open and, in doing so, avoid misunderstandings or potential miscalculations that could lead to unnecessary and potentially harmful conflicts. for democratic government.
Geopolitically, the US cannot do without China to deal with Russia. Therefore, they need to invest in small gestures and keep the interpersonal relationship and the channel of dialogue active between their leaders, especially considering that the Chinese Communist Party must lead Xi Jinping to a third term in a few months.
From an economic point of view, Biden needs to find ways to overcome the pressures he is under, especially from the November legislative elections. The highest inflation in 40 years and one of the worst popularity rates in the country’s history prompted the US president to engage in dialogue with Venezuela, a trip to Saudi Arabia, and now Biden to consider easing sanctions against China. People close to the president say Trump is considering the possibility of suspending some tariffs on Beijing to try to avoid inflationary pressure in the US.
Concerning the third issue, Biden is trying to manage the crisis caused by the eventual visit of Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, to Taiwan. The visit, originally scheduled for April, was postponed due to the congressman’s test positive for covid-19 on this occasion. In response to the possible trip, the Chinese government even said it would have “consequences” if it did happen.
It’s important to remember that Taiwan has been administered independently since 1949, but China considers the area part of its territory. Beijing has been working for decades to prevent the opposition province from gaining independence, which would affect China’s territorial unity. No wonder the “One China Policy” is one of the most important mantras of Chinese foreign policy. All countries wishing to maintain diplomatic or trade relations with China must acknowledge that Tibet, Hong Kong, Macau, Xinjiang and Taiwan are under Beijing’s command.
At this point, Biden is not interested in raising the tone on the subject. The president has more pressing domestic issues to address, and a new hotbed of geopolitical crisis in Asia could have detrimental effects for his government in the short term. The undesirable effects are so great that even the Pentagon considered the security risks too high and dissuaded Pelosi from traveling to the area. Some say that if the visit does happen, the Chinese government may try to declare a no-fly zone over Taiwan, which could have a cascading effect that could get out of control.
As we have insisted for a while, this is another chapter where domestic political survival reigns supreme, while addressing international issues above all else.
source: Noticias
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