China-US relations could be on brink after Xi-Biden summit, warns top Chinese commentator

This trend is not good, the China-US relations expert said during a panel at the World Peace Forum, co-hosted by Tsinghua and the Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs, a government-run policy group.

Another crisis or another form of confrontation cannot be ruled out if the current trajectory continues, he warned.

The summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Joe Biden in California last November was followed by several positive signs for bilateral relations after months of extreme tensions.

But tensions continue to escalate on multiple fronts, including over U.S. tariffs and moves to restrict China's access to high technology, its relationship with Russia and what the United States and its allies see as Beijing's growing assertiveness in the region.

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US proposes new round of tariffs on China in latest escalation of trade war

US proposes new round of tariffs on China in latest escalation of trade war

In a phone conversation with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell on June 27, Chinese Executive Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu urged Washington to respect Beijing's concerns.

Wu Xinbo, dean of the Institute of International Studies at Fudan University and on the same panel as Da, said China-U.S. relations still lack reciprocity and are unequal.

China has tried to address US concerns on dialogue around artificial intelligence, military-to-military relations, fentanyl, etc. But on the US side, the Biden administration has been very reluctant to address China's concerns, he said.

The Taiwan issue, sanctions or customs tariffs, [on] all these kinds of things, there hasn't been much progress.

Da said the process of stabilizing bilateral relations was slowing down, adding: “We have probably already picked the low-hanging fruit.”

China and the United States have adopted a bottom-up approach to building trust over the past eight months, which has proven effective, Da noted.

But there is a limit, he said. I think we are reaching that limit. Because if you have a fundamental distrust [of] On the other hand, I think these negative feelings will prevent us from having meaningful cooperation, or even coexistence.

Both sides remain very suspicious of each other's sincerity in stabilizing relations and continue to view each other in a very negative light, he added.

“We need to understand the other side's fundamental motivations and goals,” he said. Then we need to clean house to eliminate policies that are incompatible with our goals. [our main goals].

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Beijing accuses Taiwanese President William Lai of sending dangerous signals in his inauguration speech

Beijing accuses Taiwanese President William Lai of sending dangerous signals in his inauguration speech

Da also called on the United States to take steps to convince Beijing that its goal was not to contain China.

For example, he said, the White House should publicly state that the words and actions of Taiwan's new leader, William Lai Ching-te, are not consistent with Washington's one-China policy.

Beijing regards Taiwan as a part of China that must be reunified by force if necessary. The United States, like most countries, does not recognize Taiwan as an independent state, but opposes any attempt to take the self-ruled island by force and has pledged to supply it with weapons.

Da also called on the US and China to work together on Ukraine and the Middle East, as we have common interests in these regions, rather than vetoing each other at the United Nations. This makes no sense.

Referring to his conversations with Russian intellectuals about how the United States and Russia missed opportunities to build trust over the past two decades, Da said the same scenario should not happen again for Beijing and Washington.

He also dismissed concerns that the wait for the US election results meant matches had entered what is known in American sporting jargon as “garbage time” when proceedings become perfunctory.

We need to be on the same page, understand each other's goals clearly and from the heart, then maybe we can have real stability in the next four years.