BEIJING: China’s Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, has expressed caution over the upcoming summit between President Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden, referring to the journey as a “bumpy road” during a statement issued by the foreign ministry on Sunday.
The statement followed Wang’s recent meetings with President Biden and his top aides in Washington, where both parties agreed to work toward a bilateral meeting expected to take place on the sidelines of an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum summit.
In recent months, there has been a flurry of diplomatic engagements between the two nations, primarily at the request of the US, aimed at salvaging what was once a rapidly deteriorating relationship earlier in the year. This deterioration began following the US downing of an alleged Chinese spy balloon.
However, Wang’s remarks on Saturday reminded all concerned parties that the path to the summit would not be without challenges, and it would not be a journey on “autopilot.”
He made these statements following discussions with members of the US strategic community in Washington, according to the ministry’s statement.
Last month, China’s top security agency suggested that the prospect of a Xi-Biden meeting in San Francisco hinged on the US “showing sufficient sincerity.”
Wang stressed the importance of both countries “returning to Bali,” referencing their last meeting on the Indonesian resort island during a Group of 20 summit in November, where discussions centered on topics such as Taiwan, competition, and communication. He urged both nations to implement the consensus reached during that meeting, remove any obstacles, and strengthen their shared objectives.
Despite the existence of various differences, contradictions, and unresolved issues, Wang highlighted the value and necessity of maintaining a dialogue between the two nations. He noted that both sides have jointly sent out positive signals aimed at stabilizing and improving relations.
Saturday’s discussions also delved into in-depth exchanges on various critical issues, including the interaction between the Chinese and US militaries, finance, science and technology, China’s investment environment, market access, and the ongoing crises in the Middle East and Ukraine.
