The meeting between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Chinese President Xi Jinping could mark the beginning of a new chapter, says sinologist and coordinator Ingrid D’Hooge of the Clingendael China Centre. But don’t expect much from that, she says. “The two are rivals, and this visit won’t change that.”
According to D’Hooge, however, a “floor” can be said to have been laid under the relationship. “There’s been a downward spiral over the last few months,” he explains. ‘While the relationship between China and the United States has continued to deteriorate. Now we can say that the bottom has been hit and that both countries are considering the possibility of stabilizing everything again. This is extremely important.’
‘Now we can say that rock bottom has been reached’
He particularly praises China’s attitude, which has made it clear through the meeting between Xi and Blinken that it wants to invest in improving mutual relations. “This is a really positive outcome of this visit.”
Appointment
Especially since Blinken’s visit was originally intended to speak only to diplomats. Having the audience announced very late was a deliberate strategy, D’Hooge thinks. “They prefer to keep a low profile and always check how a visit like this is going,” he explains. “And maybe not all the conditions had been discussed yet. But it had been around for a while.”
Especially considering that Blinken’s schedule offered space to schedule a visit. “US diplomats knew this beforehand, but nothing was guaranteed when they left for China.”
‘little meaning’
If the meeting between Blinken and Xi had not taken place, in principle nothing would have happened, argues Paul van Hooft of The Hague Center for Strategic Studies. “It was deliberately arranged in such a way that if the conditions weren’t met, nobody would lose face,” he explains. “So it wouldn’t have been disastrous if the meeting hadn’t happened. However, this is a good sign, as it suggests that a process has restarted that could lead to more visits by American diplomats.
Source: BNR
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