The Chinese government has accused the Chinese government of “very misguided” policy and warned of “serious difficulties” in future bilateral relations. During a visit to the northern Chinese city of Tianjin by US Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, Chinese Foreign Secretary Xi Feng called relations between Beijing and Washington “a stalemate.” The United States must end China’s “demonization.”
Accompanying Sherman is President Joe Biden, the highest-ranking representative of the US administration, visiting the People’s Republic. The U.S. State Department said last week that it wanted to resolve conflict issues during Sherman’s stay. However, relations with China should be avoided as they could lead to a “conflict”.
The visit is widely described as a preparation for a summit between Biden and his Chinese envoy, Xi Jinping. Voices have been rising between the two governments over the past few weeks.
China chooses sharp words
These signs clearly indicated the conflict at the reception of Deputy Foreign Minister Shea Sherman. The United States sees an “imaginary enemy” in China, with Xi blaming his US counterpart, according to his ministry. The United States may have hoped that “China’s monetization” would hold Beijing accountable for its “own structural problems.” “We call for a change in America’s most misguided and dangerous policies.”
The Chinese see the US “hostile rhetoric” against Beijing as a “vicious disguise attempt to suppress China.” These sharp remarks are reminiscent of the exchanges between China’s top ambassador Yang Jiechi and US Secretary of State Anthony Blingen ahead of the G7 summit in March.
Sherman wanted to talk about the problems facing American companies
Sherman arrived in Tianjin on Sunday to visit Asian-American allies. Biden is the second high-ranking U.S. deputy secretary of state to visit China since taking office, following US climate ambassador John Kerry.
At the beginning of his trip to China, the top ambassador wrote that the online service spoke to representatives of US companies on Twitter about their “difficulties” in China. He expressed his “heartfelt condolences” to the victims of the catastrophic floods in central China’s Henan province. A meeting between Sherman and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is also scheduled.
China sees itself as on par with the United States
Wang Yi announced on Saturday that he wanted to “teach the United States a lesson” aimed at treating other countries equally. “China will not accept another country’s self-declared superiority,” he was quoted as saying by his ministry.
Relations between Beijing and Washington are very strained. Controversial topics include China’s activities in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the authorities’ handling of Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in Xinjiang. The United States’ accusation that China was responsible for a large-scale hacker attack on US software company Microsoft has recently sparked new tensions between the two countries. Beijing denies the allegations are politically motivated and “fabricated.” (apa / afp)
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