Observers laud Xi’s call to keep relations on right track as Washington prepares for new leader

Charting a smooth transition of China-US ties, taking stock of the policy legacy and underlining Beijing’s policy consistency were highlights of the third summit between President Xi Jinping and United States counterpart Joe Biden, observers said.

Before meeting on Nov 16 in Lima, Peru, Xi and Biden had met face-to-face in Bali, Indonesia, in 2022 and in San Francisco last year.

During the latest talks, Beijing and Washington agreed to “continue to stabilize China-US relations, and ensure a smooth transition of the relationship”, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said.

Both leaders said they believe that “their meeting has been candid, profound and constructive, and they expressed their willingness to stay in contact”, the ministry added.

Xi and Biden agreed to maintain the momentum of communication and strengthen macroeconomic policy coordination.

They also reviewed the important progress since their San Francisco meeting in dialogue and cooperation on counternarcotics, climate change, artificial intelligence, and people-to-people exchanges.

Diao Daming, a professor of US studies at Renmin University of China’s School of International Relations, said: “The third Xi-Biden summit further plays the role as a navigator and a stabilizer for the ties. And taking stock of the policy legacy and lessons over the past four years and beyond is part of Beijing’s clear, constructive solution for driving the relations’ growth in the future.”

“Whoever takes charge of the US’ China policy should respect lessons from the past, face up to the US’ international duties, act on the very interests of the American people and respond to global expectations for better well-being,” Diao said.

He was alluding to the incoming change in administration in Washington following the US presidential election earlier this month that saw Biden’s Democratic Party suffer a resounding defeat, and former president Donald Trump making a stunning comeback as he steered Republicans to a landslide win, capturing the White House as well as both houses of Congress.

Trump will be sworn in as the 47th US president on Jan 20, 2025.

Xi’s underlining of Beijing’s consistency in US policy will help respond to the potential uncertainties that may be brought about by Washington in the future, Diao said.

In talks with Biden in Lima on Nov 16 on the sidelines of the 31st APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting, Xi stressed that Beijing’s policy goal is for a stable, healthy and sustainable China-US relationship following the US presidential election, and that the nation will strive for a steady transition in bilateral relations for the benefit of the two peoples.

Momentum

He said that China is ready to engage in dialogue, expand cooperation and manage differences with Washington in order to sustain hard-won momentum toward stability in bilateral relations.

Xi said China and the US should keep exploring the right way for two major countries to get along well with each other, realize long-term, peaceful coexistence, and inject more certainty and positive energy into the world.

Decoupling or supply-chain disruption is not the solution, and “small yard, high fences” is not what a major country should do, he said.

If the two sides regard each other as rivals and pursue vicious competition, they “will roil the relationship or even set it back”, Xi added.

He identified four red lines for China that must not be challenged: the Taiwan question, democracy and human rights, China’s path and system, and China’s development right.

“They must not be challenged or crossed. These are the most important guardrails and safety nets for China-US relations,” he said.

Xi reviewed the key experiences from bilateral ties over the past four years from seven aspects, highlighting the significance of upholding a correct strategic perception and matching words with actions.

“A new Cold War should not be fought and cannot be won. Containing China is unwise, unacceptable and bound to fail,” he said.

He stressed that China has always honored its words, and if the US side always says one thing but does another, it will be detrimental to its own image and undermine trust between China and the US.

Neither China nor the US should seek to remodel the other according to one’s own will, suppress the other from the so-called position of strength, or deprive the other of the legitimate right to development so as to maintain its leading status, he continued.

Xi also reiterated China’s positions on economic and trade ties, science and technology, cybersecurity, the South China Sea and the Ukraine crisis. He stressed that China does not allow conflict and turmoil to happen on the Korean Peninsula.

Xi said that major-country competition should not be the underlying logic of the times, and only solidarity and cooperation can help humanity overcome current difficulties.

“In an age of a new round of flourishing sci-tech revolution and industrial transformation, neither decoupling nor supply-chain disruption is the solution; only mutually beneficial cooperation can lead to common development.”

He criticized the rhetoric of “small yard, high fences”, which he said is not what a major country should pursue. “Only openness and sharing can advance the well-being of humanity,” he said.

Biden said that the US-China relationship is the most important relationship in the world, not just for the two peoples, but also for the future of the world.

Support 

He underscored that the US does not seek a new Cold War, it does not seek to change China’s system, its alliances are not targeted against China, it does not support “Taiwan independence”, it does not seek conflict with China, and it does not see its Taiwan policy as a way to compete with China.

The US will stay committed to the one-China policy and is prepared to enhance communication and dialogue with China during the US’ presidential transition period to have a better perception of each other and responsibly manage differences, Biden said.

On specific policy agenda items, Xi said it is crucial for the US to handle the Taiwan question with extra prudence, unequivocally oppose “Taiwan independence”, and support China’s peaceful reunification.

In the South China Sea, the US should not get involved in bilateral disputes over the relevant islands and reefs of the Nansha Islands, and it should also not aid or abet provocations, Xi said.

China will not sit idle when its strategic security and core interests are under threat, Xi said.

In Lima, Xi and Biden reiterated — and stated readiness to further uphold — the seven-point common understandings on the guiding principles for China-US relations.

Worked out under the two leaders’ instructions, the principles are: treating each other with respect, finding a way to live alongside each other peacefully, maintaining open lines of communication, preventing conflict, upholding the United Nations Charter, cooperating in areas of shared interest, and responsibly managing competitive aspects of the relationship.

Anthony Moretti, department head and an associate professor of the Communication and Organizational Leadership Department at Robert Morris University in the US state of Pennsylvania, said, “The US and China remain the best partners when it comes to solving vexing challenges like climate change, food insecurity, preparing to fight the next pandemic and more.

“But Washington must adopt a respectful tone in its rhetoric,” he said. “China has made clear time and again that mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation are at the heart of its global agenda. The US can — and should — endorse a similar philosophy.”

Analysts said that in the past four years China-US relations, which went through ups and downs, remained stable on the whole.

More than 20 communication mechanisms have been restarted or established, and positive achievements have been made in areas such as diplomacy, security, trade, and people-to-people exchanges.

Xiaohua Yang, a professor of international business at the University of San Francisco’s Center for Business Studies and Innovation, said: “Xi set a forward-looking tone in the US-China relationship — a stable and cooperative US-China relationship benefits the whole world, not just these two countries; decoupling, building up walls and being confrontational is not the solution.”

Contact the writers at zhangyunbi@chinadaily.com.cn