Sensitive Timing of Beijing Meeting Between Top U.S. and Chinese Diplomats Sparks Controversy

06.06.2023

During the June 4th anniversary, a group of senior U.S. diplomats arrived in Beijing and met with Chinese officials this Monday, which was criticized by pro-democracy activists as “sprinkling salt on the wound”. This trip is seen as another move by the US to ease bilateral relations. What did the two sides discuss?

(Deutsche Welle Chinese website) The U.S. State Department issued a statement that Daniel Kritenbrink, Assistant Secretary of State for Asia and the Pacific Affairs, recently led a delegation to visit China and held “frank and fruitful” talks with Chinese officials on Monday (June 5).Previously, this trip wasCoincides with the anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre in Beijingwas criticized by the outside world for its inappropriate timing.

U.S. officials who accompanied Kangda on his visit to China also included Sarah Beran, senior director for China and Taiwan affairs at the National Security Council of the White House. Together with U.S. Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns, the two met in Beijing with Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu and Director of North American and Oceanian Affairs Yang Tao.

The U.S. statement pointed out that the two sides had candid and fruitful discussions, exchanging views on Sino-U.S. relations, cross-strait issues, communication channels and other issues, as part of the U.S. and China’s efforts to maintain open communication channels and consolidate the two countries’ recent high-level diplomatic efforts.

At the same time, U.S. officials have made it clear to China: “The U.S. will actively compete and stick to U.S. interests and values.”

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on Tuesday (6th) that the two sides agreed to continue to maintain communication in accordance with the consensus reached by the two heads of state at the Bali Island meeting in November last year to “promote the improvement of Sino-US relations and properly manage differences.” “Clarify our solemn position” on major issues of principle such as Taiwan.

The timing of the visit is controversial

When Kangda arrived in China on the 4th,On the 34th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square incident in Beijing in 1989. Zhou Fengsuo, an exiled former leader of the Tiananmen student movement and now a US citizen, told Reuters he was “angry” at the timing of the US official’s visit to China, which could be seen as a “betrayal”.

“This is undoubtedly adding a handful of salt to our wounds.” Zhou Fengsuo said: “Choosing such a date to meet can only be a strategic move by the Chinese Communist Party, and the U.S. State Department followed suit without mentioning Tiananmen Square gone.”

In the face of relevant criticism, US White House national security spokesman John Kirby (John Kirby) said on the 5th that the remarks about deliberately choosing a visit to China on June 4 were “found out of thin air”, emphasizing that this trip has been planned for a long time, and this is after the itinerary. the result of.

U.S.-China relations remain tense

A week before Kangda’s visit to China, China refused to arrange a sideline meeting between its Defense Minister Li Shangfu and US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.

Recently, during the joint mission of the US and Canadian warships in the Taiwan Strait,At one point, a Chinese warship nearly collided with a U.S. missile destroyer within 150 yards (about 137 meters). The White House stated on the 6th that there is absolutely no need for the Chinese People’s Liberation Army to be so provocative, and these unsafe and unprofessional interceptions may lead to misunderstanding and misjudgment, causing casualties.

Reuters pointed out that the Biden administration has been looking forward to maintaining unimpeded communication channels with China and strengthening contacts with China, as relations between the two countries deteriorated after the “spy balloon incident” in February, and the Taiwan issue and regional military activities in the South China Sea A dispute arises. Kangda’s trip is seen as an attempt to avoid the escalation of Sino-US conflicts, and it is also hoped that it can pave the way for contacts between higher-level officials.

The British “Financial Times” also reported on the 2nd that William Burns, director of the US Central Intelligence Agency, made a secret visit to China in May in an attempt to ease bilateral relations.

(comprehensive report)

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