8-11-2023 (BEIJING) In a significant move, Beijing has expressed its readiness to engage in talks with the United States at “all levels,” according to China’s Vice President Han Zheng. This announcement comes just ahead of the anticipated summit in San Francisco, where Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Joe Biden are scheduled to meet next week.
Speaking at the prestigious Bloomberg New Economy Forum held in Singapore, Vice President Han Zheng emphasized that recent high-level interactions between Beijing and Washington have sent out “positive signals,” suggesting an improvement in bilateral relations.
“We’re prepared to enhance communication and engage in dialogue with the United States at every level. We aim to advance mutually beneficial cooperation, effectively manage differences, and jointly address global challenges,” stated Han, underlining China’s willingness to engage constructively.
In recent years, the relationship between Washington and Beijing had deteriorated to some of its lowest points, mainly due to a myriad of contentious issues, including export controls, human rights concerns, and national security matters.
However, both sides now appear inclined to mend fences. The U.S. has dispatched several high-ranking officials to Beijing throughout the year in an attempt to reestablish high-level diplomatic dialogue. President Biden has also expressed his anticipation of a meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the upcoming summit in San Francisco, where he hopes to engage in “constructive” discussions.
In response to inquiries regarding the status of the summit, China’s foreign ministry reiterated on Wednesday that both sides had indeed agreed to hold the meeting.
Nevertheless, Wang Wenbin, the spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry, cautioned, “At the same time, the road to San Francisco is not without challenges, and we cannot afford to be complacent. Both sides must sincerely implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state, eliminate any hindrances, and overcome obstacles to strengthen mutual understanding and achieve tangible outcomes,” alluding to a prior meeting between Xi and Biden in Indonesia last year.
While the official confirmation of the summit is still pending from Beijing, Vice President Han Zheng echoed President Xi’s perspective that the state of U.S.-China relations has far-reaching implications for the future of humanity.
“The world is vast enough for both nations to coexist and prosper in harmony,” Han asserted, highlighting the global significance of the bilateral dialogue between the two superpowers.
