中文
Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with a U.S. congressional delegation led by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, October 9, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]
By Christopher Helali
On October 9, the U.S. congressional delegation led by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. When the U.S. senators first landed in Shanghai earlier this week, they were also met by Chen Jining, the secretary of the Party's Shanghai Municipal Committee. China welcomed the U.S. delegation, noting the importance of increased dialogue, understanding, and communication between both countries.
The visit, the first U.S. congressional delegation since 2019, is seen as a diplomatic effort by the Joe Biden administration to stabilize bilateral relations. It is part of a flurry of high-level meetings that U.S. officials have conducted with their Chinese counterparts over the past few months.
The delegation comes at a time of increased tensions and strained relations between the United States and China. As the first U.S. congressional delegation to visit China since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, it comes during a period of increased Sinophobia stoked by many U.S. political leaders and officials over the past few years. Elements of the Republican Party in particular have increasingly attacked China, spreading conspiracy theories and disinformation to stoke hatred of China and the Chinese people.
Just earlier this year, mass hysteria gripped the United States over the "Chinese spy balloon" that was tracked over the United States and eventually shot down by a missile from a U.S. fighter jet. U.S. officials claimed that the unmanned civilian airship was part of a spying operation by the Chinese government over U.S. territory. China rejected these claims, saying the airship had no military or spying purpose but was purely scientific. Subsequent investigations by U.S. government agencies concluded that the balloon had no capability for spying and most likely went off course as Chinese officials had indicated.
Tensions and fears of a possible military confrontation over China's Taiwan region have also strained relations. The United States continued to pursue a reckless policy vis-a-vis the region, meddling in China's internal affairs and violating the one-China principle by providing military assistance and conducting high-level visits to the island, which have increased threats to China's national security and violated China's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
On the economic front, there has been concern that the United States might seek to "decouple" from China, with some politicians advocating for such a move. Last year, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer sought to block business between the U.S. government and companies that use Chinese-made semiconductors. The move was seen as highly politicized at a time when fears of Chinese technology and applications, notably TikTok, are at the forefront of the political fights in Washington.
Thus, the delegation is an opportunity to address many of the ongoing concerns and tensions that have destabilized China-U.S. relations over the past few years. Both countries are vital to the world economy and their cooperation can benefit billions of people. However, confrontation between the two powers could immiserate even more people around the world.
Reports from the delegation so far note a more positive and stabilizing tone from U.S. senators with Senator Schumer emphasizing that the United States did not want to decouple from China. If true and sincere, this is welcome news. The business community has noted over the past months that ongoing high-level talks are encouraging. Chinese officials continue to advance not only win-win diplomacy but win-win economic cooperation, noting that China is open to conducting business with U.S. companies.
Notably, during his meeting with the U.S. congressional delegation on October 9, Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed the need for "coexist in peace" between the United States and China, noting that the two countries have "1,000 reasons" to improve bilateral relations, but "not one reason to ruin them." His position shows the responsible course of action to de-escalate the tensions. The fact that President Xi attended the meeting shows the importance the Chinese government places on stabilizing and improving relations with the United States.
While the U.S. delegation is a positive sign, analysts should exercise cautious optimism regarding ongoing high-level talks between Chinese and U.S. officials. It is important to reemphasize the tremendous uncertainty that surrounds China-U.S. relations, given the ongoing political instability in Washington as well as the belligerent foreign policy of the United States regarding the Taiwan region. Developments over the next few months and into next year will reveal where China-U.S. relations are headed as the United States enters the 2024 presidential election cycle.
Christopher Helali, a special commentator on current affairs for CGTN, is the international secretary of the Communist Party USA and a Chinese government Scholar for Sino-U.S. Cultural Communication at Tongji University, China.
