Tensions between the US and China have intensified in recent months - starting with the visit to Taiwan last August by the then Speaker of the House of Representatives, Pelosi, through the interception of the Chinese spy balloon in February of this year, and the visit to the US by the President of Taiwan in April. However, in recent weeks there has been an effort to get relations back on track, culminating in the visit of the US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, to Beijing (June 18-19). Although the visit was meant to signal relaxation, tension was registered when the meeting between the Secretary of State and the President of China, Xi Jinping, was officially confirmed only a few hours before it took place.
The issues discussed in the meetings illustrate the nature of the relationship and the matters on the common agenda, alongside the issues in dispute. On issues such as economic stability and the climate crisis, the parties agreed to work together, but the Chinese have refused to security coordination despite Blinken's pleas, which indicates that China is not ready at this stage to accept the American 'rules of the game' that distinguish areas of competition from areas of cooperation. Although China is not interested in a security deterioration either, it seems that it intends to use the security dialogue as a bargaining chip.
American calming efforts continue even though a diplomatic incident has occurred after the visit when the US president compared his Chinese counterpart to a dictator. Blinken's deputy spoke with the Chinese US ambassador, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen visited Beijing last week to discuss economic relations between the countries, and Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang is expected to visit the US soon.
The Secretary of State defined the competition with China as a long-term one and it seems that the two countries are trying to design the "rules of the game" without being dragged into unnecessary friction and escalation. The US wants China to prosper economically, but not too much and not at its expense and in areas that would endanger its security and position. Although this is not a question of friendship, the last few weeks show that both sides have an interest in maintaining coordination and contact to ease tensions and prevent a deterioration into a military escalation from which everyone has something to lose.
Tensions between the US and China have intensified in recent months - starting with the visit to Taiwan last August by the then Speaker of the House of Representatives, Pelosi, through the interception of the Chinese spy balloon in February of this year, and the visit to the US by the President of Taiwan in April. However, in recent weeks there has been an effort to get relations back on track, culminating in the visit of the US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, to Beijing (June 18-19). Although the visit was meant to signal relaxation, tension was registered when the meeting between the Secretary of State and the President of China, Xi Jinping, was officially confirmed only a few hours before it took place.
The issues discussed in the meetings illustrate the nature of the relationship and the matters on the common agenda, alongside the issues in dispute. On issues such as economic stability and the climate crisis, the parties agreed to work together, but the Chinese have refused to security coordination despite Blinken's pleas, which indicates that China is not ready at this stage to accept the American 'rules of the game' that distinguish areas of competition from areas of cooperation. Although China is not interested in a security deterioration either, it seems that it intends to use the security dialogue as a bargaining chip.
American calming efforts continue even though a diplomatic incident has occurred after the visit when the US president compared his Chinese counterpart to a dictator. Blinken's deputy spoke with the Chinese US ambassador, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen visited Beijing last week to discuss economic relations between the countries, and Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang is expected to visit the US soon.
The Secretary of State defined the competition with China as a long-term one and it seems that the two countries are trying to design the "rules of the game" without being dragged into unnecessary friction and escalation. The US wants China to prosper economically, but not too much and not at its expense and in areas that would endanger its security and position. Although this is not a question of friendship, the last few weeks show that both sides have an interest in maintaining coordination and contact to ease tensions and prevent a deterioration into a military escalation from which everyone has something to lose.