On October 31, 2023, the White House announced that President Joe Biden hopes to have “constructive” talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping at a side event of a summit to be held in San Francisco in November.[1]
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi made a rare visit to Washington to pave the way for the leaders of the two countries to meet at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. The Chinese side has not yet confirmed that President Xi Jinping will attend the meeting in question. [2]
Regarding the long-awaited talks, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said, “We aim to have a constructive conversation and meeting between leaders in San Francisco in November.”[3] An unnamed senior US administration official said: [4]
“An agreement in principle was reached to meet in San Francisco in November. We are still working out the important details needed to finalize these plans.”
The leaders have not met face to face since a meeting in Bali in November 2022. Relations between the world’s two largest economies have been strained for years. Because the USA is making efforts to expand its sphere of influence in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond. Beijing is increasing its cooperation with Russia against the USA.
After Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with US officials in the last week of October this year, the White House said that the two sides were “trying to come together”. However, the Chinese Foreign Minister stated that the road to talks was still “not smooth”.
Speaking at an event hosted by Aspen Strategy Group, Wang Yi used the following statements: [5]
“Both sides hope to stabilize and improve bilateral relations as soon as possible. The two heads of state agreed to work together toward a summit in San Francisco. On the other hand, the road to San Francisco is not smooth and cannot be left on ‘autopilot’. Both parties need to remove obstacles, overcome difficulties, achieve consensus and accumulate results.”
It is emphasized that the last face-to-face contact between the two leaders took place in November 2022 and that relations have been tense for a long time. Sino-US relations have gone through ups and downs due to increasing tensions in the Asia-Pacific region.
The Chinese side’s concerns that “the road is not smooth” and Wang Yi’s statements that “obstacles must be removed and consensus must be achieved” reflect the difficulties ahead of these talks.
These developments are important for international relations. China and the United States are global political and economic powerhouses, and these talks could offer an opportunity to reduce tensions between the two countries and rebuild a positive basis for cooperation. In addition, these talks may affect the balance in the Asia-Pacific region and contribute to the solution of regional issues.
However, such negotiations are not without their difficulties. Given the differences and depth of conflicts between the two countries, the outcome of these talks is uncertain. For the talks to be successful, the United States in particular must be willing to compromise.
Consequently, these developments represent an important turning point in international relations. The course of relations between the two major powers can affect the global political and economic balance and will continue to be a critical factor in maintaining peace and stability around the world.
[1] “Biden Expected to Meet with Xi Jinping Next Month for ‘Constructive’ Talks”, The Guardian, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/oct/31/biden-xi-jinping-meeting-us-china, (Erişim Tarihi: 01.11.2023).
[2] “Biden ‘Aiming’ For ‘Constructive’ Talks With Xi: US”, Barrons, https://www.barrons.com/news/biden-aiming-for-constructive-talks-with-xi-next-month-w-house-c259461b?refsec=topics_afp-news, (Erişim Tarihi: 01.11.2023).
[3] “Joe Biden ‘Aiming’ for ‘Constructive’ Talks with China’s Xi Jinping in San Francisco”, South China Morning Herald, https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3239882/joe-biden-aiming-constructive-talks-chinas-xi-jinping-san-francisco?module=live&pgtype=homepage, (Erişim Tarihi: 01.11.2023).
[4] Same place.
[5] Same page.
