China, US say talks constructive
BEIJING: Meetings between senior United States and Chinese officials in China this week struck an upbeat chord, with both sides agreeing to maintain communication lines, even as Beijing remains leery of more ‘‘provocative’’ US moves and clashes are still a risk.
Statements from Washington and Beijing on meetings between US assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs Daniel Kritenbrink and Chinese officials, including viceminister for foreign affairs Ma Zhaoxu, were positive, describing the talks as candid and productive.
Just before Kritenbrink arrived in Beijing on Sunday, the US navy reported an ‘‘unsafe interaction’’ when a
Chinese warship crossed in front of a US destroyer in the sensitive Taiwan Strait, raising the prospect of future faceoffs that could spiral out of control.
Kritenbrink’s visit also followed China’s apparent snub last week of US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, who had sought a formal meeting with his Chinese counterpart but was bluntly rejected.
‘‘The two sides conducted candid, constructive and fruitful communication on promoting the improvement of SinoUS relations and properly managing and controlling differences,’’ the Chinese foreign ministry said yesterday of Kritenbrink’s meetings.
Both sides also agreed to continue to communicate.
‘‘The two sides had candid and productive discussions as part of ongoing efforts to maintain open lines of communication and build on recent highlevel diplomacy between the two countries,’’ the US State Department said yesterday.
US President Joe Biden’s administration has pushed to boost engagement with China as ties between the world’s two largest economies have deteriorated over issues ranging from democratically governed Taiwan, which China claims as its own, to military activity in the South China Sea.
But critics have questioned US overtures to China, arguing that past decades of engagement have failed to change Beijing’s behaviour.
The recent interactions between China and the United States showed both sides are trying to manage disputes, but the risk of clashes will still rise if Washington does not cease its provocations and if it does not show sincerity in improving relations, statebacked Chinese newspaper Global Times reported yesterday.
China and US ties had entered a ‘‘more complicated’’ phase — while China was willing to stabilise relations and was open to possible cooperation, it would also firmly fight back against US provocations, wrote Global Times, known for its nationalist leanings.
‘‘We’re working hard to manage the relationship as best as we possibly can,’’ Kritenbrink said, when asked by reporters in Beijing yesterday about the current state of bilateral ties.
The already frayed ties took a sharp turn south in February as Secretary of State Antony Blinken scrapped a trip to China after what Washington described as a Chinese spy balloon flew through US airspace. — Reuters