The exchanges were “frank”, according to Beijing and Washington: the main security and diplomacy advisers of China and the United States spoke at length on Monday, after several days of acrimonious exchanges, in particular on Taiwan.
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The tone dropped a notch at the meeting in Luxembourg from last week, when China’s defense minister warned that his country would not hesitate to start a war over Taiwan, while his counterpart American criticized Beijing’s “provocative and destabilizing” military activities.
Jake Sullivan, the main diplomatic adviser to US President Joe Biden, and Yang Jiechi, who holds the same position with the Chinese president, did not however announce a compromise on their main points of disagreement, in particular Taiwan, which China considers an integral part. of its territory and intends to take it back one day, by force if necessary.
“The Taiwan issue touches on the political foundation of China-US relations and, if not handled properly, will have a detrimental impact,” Yang was quoted as saying by the official Xinhua News Agency, urging the United States to avoid “misjudgments” and “illusions” on this subject.
Joe Biden’s adviser “reiterated our long-standing position on a single China as well as our positions and concerns regarding Beijing’s coercive and aggressive actions in the Taiwan Strait”, according to a statement from the White House.
Tensions over Taiwan have risen steadily in recent months, including an increase in incursions by Chinese military aircraft into the island’s air defense identification zone.
The American president had recently seemed to question this delicate diplomatic balance by assuring that the United States would defend the autonomous island militarily if Beijing invaded it.
“Maintain the lines of communication”
Mr. Sullivan reaffirmed the so-called policy of “strategic ambiguity” whereby the United States diplomatically recognizes Communist China but at the same time militarily supports Taiwan.
The meeting in Luxembourg between MM Sullivan and Yang, who had exchanged by telephone on May 18, lasted four and a half hours, according to a senior official of the American executive.
The relationship between Beijing and Washington has deteriorated in recent years, with the two major powers clashing in several areas, such as international trade, human rights and, more recently, the war in Ukraine.
In a statement, the White House spoke of a “frank” and “productive” exchange, during which Jake Sullivan “underlined the importance of maintaining open lines of communication”.
The official New China news agency also described the interview as “frank, in-depth and constructive”.
Mr. Yang agreed to maintain the dialogue, but made it clear that Beijing would not change its red lines.
“For some time … the American side has been insisting on further containing and pushing back China comprehensively,” he said, according to New China. But Beijing refuses to “define bilateral relations by competition”.
According to the news agency’s account, Yang “also stated China’s solemn position on issues concerning Xinjiang, Hong Kong, Tibet, the South China Sea, as well as human rights. Man and religion”.
On these subjects, China, which is the target of international condemnations, repeats that it would not tolerate any interference in its internal affairs.
The United States and its Western allies regularly warn Beijing against its naval pretensions in the South China Sea, where China disputes sovereignty over certain areas in the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam.
Sino-U.S. relations entered deep turmoil under previous U.S. President Donald Trump, who unleashed an economic war to address what he saw as abusive trade practices by Beijing.
Mr Biden has said he is considering lifting some tariffs in an attempt to defuse runaway inflation in his country.