Analysis-U.S. and China positions ossify in deep-rooted Tianjin negotiations Reuters

Authors: Michael Martina and David Brunnstrom

Washington (Reuters)-As there is no indication that the US-China summit is underway and no results of Monday’s high-level diplomatic talks have been announced, relations between Beijing and Washington appear to be at a standstill because both sides insist that the other must Make concessions to improve the relationship.

US officials have emphasized that Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman’s trip to the northern Chinese port city of Tianjin to meet Foreign Minister Wang Yi and other officials is an opportunity to ensure that the fierce competition between the two geopolitical opponents does not turn into conflict.

But the combative remarks that appeared at the meeting—although the officials hinted that the closed-door meeting was slightly more cordial—reflected the tone set in Alaska in March, when President Joe Biden’s first high-level diplomacy The talks cast a shadow over. The two sides are rarely open and acrimonious.

Although Tianjin did not expose the same level of external hostility as Alaska, the two sides did not seem to have really negotiated anything, but insisted on the established list of requirements.

Sherman pressured China for actions that Washington said violated the rules-based international order, including Beijing’s suppression of democracy in Hong Kong, the continuing genocide by the US government in Xinjiang, abuses in Tibet, and restrictions on press freedom.

A senior U.S. government official told reporters after the meeting: “I think it is wrong to describe the United States as seeking or soliciting China’s cooperation in some way.” He was referring to global concerns such as climate change, Iran, Afghanistan, and North Korea. .

Another U.S. government official said when talking about bridging differences: “It will be up to China to decide whether they are ready to… take the next step.”

But Wang insisted in a statement that the ball is in a US court.

“The United States must think twice in respect of international rules,” he said, and demanded that Washington remove all unilateral sanctions and tariffs on China.

Diplomaticization

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently hinted that the United States may have prerequisites for any form of cooperation. Some analysts say that this position is the secret of diplomatic rigidity, and the prospects for improving relations are bleak.

Bonnie Glaser, an Asian expert at the German Marshall Foundation in the United States, said that it is important for the two sides to maintain some form of contact. At the same time, Tianjin does not seem to have reached an agreement on a follow-up meeting or continuous dialogue mechanism.

“This may make US allies and partners feel uneasy. They want the US-China relationship to be more stable and predictable,” Glaser said.

She added that if both parties want the other to make concessions first, they may be disappointed.

Since assuming the presidency during the G20 summit in Italy last October, the foreign policy community has been expecting Biden to meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping for the first time.

White House spokesperson Jen Psaki said that the prospect of a Biden-Xi meeting in Tianjin did not appear, but she added that she expected some opportunities for contact at some point.

At the same time, there are signs that the Biden administration may expand law enforcement actions that affect Beijing — such as cracking down on Iran’s oil sales to China — and coordination with allies in the context of confronting China, including Biden’s enthusiasm for this evening. Another summit held at a later time was hosted with the leaders of Japan, Australia and India.

Biden’s White House has hardly signaled its intention to cancel the tariffs imposed by the Trump administration on Chinese goods.

At the same time, cooperation on the COVID-19 pandemic seems almost completely out of reach, and the United States has called Beijing’s rejection of the World Health Organization’s plan to further study the origin of the virus as “irresponsible” and “dangerous.”

Despite the active pleading of the US climate envoy John Kerry, there is little sign that China is willing to cooperate with Washington on climate issues, which is Biden’s priority.

Eric Sayers, a visiting scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, said: “Tianjin has shown that there are still great differences in how the two sides view the value and role of diplomatic contacts.

Scott Kennedy, an expert on China at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, said that at present neither side sees the benefits of enhanced cooperation.

He said: “The cooperation of any party has no results at hand. Any gesture of cooperation will actually bring huge domestic and strategic costs.”

“I think we should have very low expectations for the two sides to find common ground and stabilize the relationship in the near future.”