The US National Security Advisor will meet a Chinese diplomat, according to a report.
(Photo: AP)
Beijing, Brussels The two largest economic powers, the USA and China, are apparently making a fresh attempt to defuse their trade dispute. The US National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, will hold talks in Switzerland with the top Chinese diplomat Yang Jiechi until Wednesday, the “South China Morning Post” reported on Tuesday.
“You want to restore the communication channels and implement the consensus reached between Presidents Xi Jinping and Joe Biden,” it said, citing a government official who is familiar with the preparations for the meeting. The Chinese Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
Relations between China and the United States had deteriorated dramatically under former US President Donald Trump. His successor, Biden, kept the pressure on China. Although an end to individual punitive tariffs was announced in the trade dispute with China on Monday, at the same time, Trump’s tough course was largely maintained.
Rapprochement is made more difficult by the conflict over Taiwan. China claims Taiwan as its own territory. The island republic, on the other hand, sees itself as an independent country. In the past few days, Taiwan registered 148 Chinese Air Force aircraft entering the island’s air defense zone.
Top jobs of the day
Find the best jobs now and
be notified by email.
The Europeans are also trying to clarify their relations with China. The 27 heads of state and government of the European Union will meet in Slovenia on Tuesday for their first summit on the Sino-European strategy since sanctions were imposed on Beijing. Together with the USA, Great Britain and Canada, the EU imposed sanctions on Chinese officials for human rights violations on March 22nd.
China responded with sanctions against MEPs, whereupon the planned investment agreement between the EU and China was put on hold for the time being. “The EU has tried to avoid a confrontation with Beijing, but we can no longer regard China as a benevolent trading partner,” said an EU diplomat.
More: Biden’s economic agenda is in jeopardy – and his own party is to blame