China’s Foreign Minister Qin Gang has called for the stabilization of Sino-U.S. relations after a series of “erroneous words and deeds” have pushed the ties between the two countries back into a deep freeze.
During a meeting in Beijing with U.S. Ambassador Nicholas Burns, Qin emphasized the need for the United States to correct its handling of the Taiwan issue and cease undermining the “one China” principle.
China and US’s rocky relationship
The relationship between the world’s two largest economies hit a low last year when then-Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi paid an official visit to Taiwan, which is democratically governed but claimed by China as its territory.
In response, Beijing swiftly cut off all formal channels of communication with the United States, including military communication lines, effectively severing ties between the two nations.
“The top priority is to stabilize Sino-U.S. relations, avoid a downward spiral, and prevent any accidents between China and the United States,” Qin told Burns, according to a statement from the Chinese foreign ministry.
The tension between the two superpowers had eased in November, following a meeting between U.S. and Chinese leaders Joe Biden and Xi Jinping at a G20 summit in Indonesia, where they pledged more frequent dialogue.
However, tensions rose again in February when a Chinese high-altitude balloon appeared in U.S. airspace, leading U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to cancel a visit to Beijing.
“A series of erroneous words and deeds by the United States since then have undermined the hard-won positive momentum of Sino-U.S. relations,” Qin said.
Burns, in a Twitter post about his talks with Qin, also emphasized the need for stability in the relationship, noting the importance of “expanding high-level communication.”
Last week, Blinken offered hope of a visit in an interview with the Washington Post, stressing the need to re-establish regular lines of communication at all levels.
The issue of Taiwan
Taiwan remains the most contentious issue in Sino-U.S. relations. China conducted war games around Taiwan last month after Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen met U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy in Los Angeles.
The U.S.-Taiwan relationship has been governed by the Taiwan Relations Act since 1979, providing Taiwan with the means to defend itself without mandating U.S. assistance in case of an attack.
As part of the 2023 budget, the U.S. Congress authorized up to $1 billion in weapons aid for Taiwan through a type of authority that expedites security assistance, similar to that used for arms delivery to Ukraine. This development adds another layer of complexity to the already strained Sino-U.S. relations.
Despite the challenges, recent developments such as U.S. climate envoy John Kerry’s invitation to visit China for talks on averting a global climate crisis signal a potential resetting of one of the world’s most critical state-to-state relationships.
As China seeks to stabilize its relations with the U.S., the success of future dialogue and cooperation will depend on addressing key concerns, including the sensitive Taiwan issue.
