Newly appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs of China, Qin Gang, already sought to improve relations with the United States in the first moments of 2023, troubled and which had peaks of tension in recent months in the context of Cold War 2.0.
As a sign of appeasement, the new Chinese chancellor spoke by telephone with the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, this Sunday (1st). A statement released by Qin’s ministry informs that China hopes to strengthen working ties with Washington and expand Sino-American exchanges.
In response, the American wrote on social media that he discussed the relationship between the two countries and efforts to keep the lines of communication open.
Former US ambassador and trusted advisor to Chinese leader Xi Jinping, the new foreign minister, Qin, 56, was appointed on Friday (30) in a calculated move by the regime to resume dialogue and stabilize diplomatic relations with Washington.
He replaces Wang Yi, who has been foreign minister for the past decade. During the term of Qin’s predecessor, China and the United States staged a series of clashes on various topics, ranging from trade issues to the autonomy of Taiwan, an island considered rebellious by Beijing.
Relations between the two countries deteriorated considerably in August, when the Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, made the first visit in 25 years by a person in her office to Taiwan. The trip represented a major diplomatic shock and significantly escalated the tension between Washington and Beijing – in response, the Asian country multiplied military exercises around the territory.
On the menu of topics that soured the relationship in recent months are also a trade war involving tariff disputes and semiconductors, friction related to North Korea, debates on human rights and the position of both in the Ukraine War.
In November, US President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping met for the first time since the Democrat’s election. Even though both have marked their differences, the leaders seek to calm Cold War 2.0 tensions. “I absolutely believe that there doesn’t need to be a new Cold War,” the US president said after the meeting.
Attempts at rapprochement between country leaders increase the expectation that Blinken will visit Beijing soon, something that was agreed at the November meeting between Biden and Xi.
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