Focus: Chinese president’s visit to the United States achieved results in easing tensions; will he focus on domestic issues? | Reuters

[サンフランシスコ／香港 １６日 ロイター] – Chinese President Xi Jinping, who was visiting the United States, attended a dinner with American business executives on the 15th, during which he received standing applause from the top executives three times. This is one of Xi’s public relations victories during his first visit to the United States in six and a half years.

Mr. Xi, who visited the United States on the occasion of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, also reached agreements with the United States in the areas of the medical drug fentanyl, military communications, and artificial intelligence (AI).

Sources say these agreements are outcomes sought by the United States rather than China.

Mr. Xi appears to have achieved his objective. In other words, by extracting policy concessions from the United States in exchange for cooperation and easing tensions between the two countries, an environment has been created in which the two countries can focus more on domestic economic issues. He also has a chance to appeal to foreign investors who are shunning China.

In addition to the slowdown in China’s economy, questions have been raised over Mr. Xi’s decisions over political maneuvering within the Communist Party, including the sudden dismissal of the foreign and defense ministers.

“If the U.S. and China can reconcile their differences, Mr. Xi won’t have to focus all his attention on (bilateral relations),” said Alexander Neal, a researcher at Pacific Forum, a Hawaii think tank. Mr. Xi pointed out the need to focus on domestic issues.

Engaging China to stem the flow of fentanyl into the United States was high on Biden’s priorities. One U.S. official said China’s agreement to pursue companies involved in fentanyl production was premised on the idea of ​​”trust but verify.”

In return, the US government removed China’s Public Security Forensic Research Institute from the Commerce Department’s list of trade sanctions on the 16th.

Experts have expressed concern that such sanctions relief would demonstrate to Beijing that the Commerce Department’s list of companies is negotiable, and questioned the Biden administration’s stance on the issue of genocide against Uyghurs in Xinjiang. There is.

Mr. Biden has also touted the agreement to resume military dialogue as a success. China ended talks in 2022 in response to Pelosi, then speaker of the House of Representatives, visiting Taiwan.

However, while the Chinese government welcomes the easing of tensions, it is unlikely that China’s military actions, which the United States views as dangerous, will change.

Biden administration officials point out that building a functional military relationship will not be that easy. He believes it will be a long and slow process and will not materialize unless China sees value.

Mr. Xi indicated to Mr. Biden that China seeks peaceful coexistence with the United States, and stressed to American business leaders that China is ready to be a “partner and friend” to the United States. did.

Mr. Xi’s stroll through the garden with Mr. Biden was televised, and Chinese media reported how the United States welcomed Mr. Xi.

Drew Thompson, a former senior Pentagon official who now teaches at the National University of Singapore, said, “Overexaggerating the U.S. threat is good for China, for one’s own party position, and for the Communist Party itself.” Mr. Xi may have calculated that there are more things that could be worse than that.”

At the same time, Mr. Xi reiterated his views to Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this year, urging Mr. Biden to view the U.S.-China relationship through the lens of “accelerating global transformation not seen in 100 years.”

Analysts say this is code for a belief that China and Russia are trying to reshape the US-led international system. However, realism may have won out over ideology this time.

Professor Li Mingjiang of the Rajaratnam Institute of International Studies in Singapore points out that China recognizes that maintaining some degree of normal relations with Western countries such as the United States is necessary for its economic development. “This is the fundamental driving force behind this meeting.”

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