Photo: IC
It has garnered significant attention in recent days on whether the
China-US relations may embrace a breakthrough. After US President Joe
Biden predicted that tensions between the US and China will "thaw soon,"
US media reported that China's newly appointed ambassador to the US,
Xie Feng, has already set off for his new post, and there is a
possibility of a series of high-level bilateral meetings between China
and the US in the near future. All the information has raised
expectations, although limited, for a stabilization of China-US
relations. We believe that the increase in communication channels has
created conditions for the "thawing" of China-US relations, but it does
not guarantee "thawing" itself. The one who caused the freeze in
China-US relations should create more conditions for substantial
"thawing" of the bilateral relationship. This is also what the world,
including US allies, hopes to see.
When China-US relations
sneeze, the world catches a cold. Currently, the China-US relationship
has caught a severe cold, and the root cause lies entirely in the
erroneous perception of China by the US side. In its feverish pursuit of
"winning" against China, Washington has repeatedly brandished its
cudgel at China. Now, it frequently expresses its desire for dialogue
with China. This naturally raises suspicions among Chinese people. Could
this be another case of "weasel wishes the rooster a Happy New Year?"
It is not just the Chinese who have doubts; there are also questions
within the international community and even domestically in the US about
whether Washington genuinely intends to stabilize China-US relations.
In
recent years, every time there are positive signs and indications of
restarting dialogue between the two sides, they are quickly extinguished
by Washington's suppression and containment actions against China. When
President Biden made his prediction about the China-US relationship
"thawing soon," even some US media expressed surprise: the US had just
rallied its G7 allies against Beijing, so where does this optimistic
expectation come from? Therefore, some believe that this is merely a
so-called "pacifying" rhetoric from Washington to avoid strong reactions
from China, or it could be Biden's "eagerness to demonstrate" his
desire for a warming of China-US relations, without actually having high
expectations for the outcome.
However, we still hope that
President Biden can have the integrity of a state leader, rather than
making cheap and rash statements like many politicians in Washington. We
noticed that while President Biden made a statement that the China-US
relationship will thaw, he also mentioned that the US government is
considering lifting sanctions on the Chinese defense minister. However,
the US State Department spokesperson quickly denied this statement,
which is considered largely due to the pressure of its "domestic
political correctness." Lifting the illegal sanctions on the Chinese
defense minister, as well as on Chinese officials, institutions, and
companies, is something Washington should do first to correct its
mistakes. This is also a prerequisite for equal dialogue between the two
sides. Otherwise, what is the point of communication?
There are
many things that the US can and should do if it truly wants to correct
its policy toward China and regain trust. For example, it should abide
by WTO rulings and lift tariffs on Chinese goods; it should stop
blocking and suppressing China in the high-tech sector; it should stop
fabricating human rights issues and using them to suppress specific
industries in China; it should remove unreasonable restrictions and
interference on cultural exchanges between China and the US, especially
ideological visa restrictions, and so on. These are relatively easy to
push forward, but the most fundamental thing is to stop interfering in
China's internal affairs, maintain its one-China principle, and not
support "Taiwan independence" forces and other similar stances. In
short, given how much cold water the US has poured on the China-US
relationship in recent years and how much cold wind it has stirred up,
there should be just as many ways for it to show its sincerity in
communication now.
The US needs to establish a basic
understanding that Chinese people have become somewhat numb to what it
says. In contrast, all Chinese people are closely watching US actions,
from the Taiwan Straits to China's periphery, from the technological
field to cultural exchanges, and so on. These will greatly affect the
status of China-US relations. Otherwise, is it possible to have a "thaw"
when they shout for dialogue with a mask on their head but a hidden
weapon in their hand?
If China-US relations are to "thaw," we
certainly welcome it, but the US must be sincere. The Chinese people
have no intention of participating in the "masquerade" held by
Washington. From the focus of American public opinion on Ambassador
Xie's remarks, it is indeed difficult for us to be optimistic about
whether the US can change its ways. The US is keen to evaluate and
compare how much "wolf warrior" in each Chinese diplomat, which shows
that the US has failed to listen to China's frank and clear _expression_
of its position. Washington's focus is fundamentally off the mark,
leading to increasingly erroneous and absurd perceptions of China. We
will see if President Biden's statement represents a true "change of
tune" for the US.