Relations between China and the United States are “icy” and the top priority of Beijing and Washington is to stabilize relations to prevent “deterioration” and the risk of accidents. The comforting statement comes from Chinese Foreign Minister Chen Gang, who attended a meeting in Beijing with the US ambassador to China, Nicholas Burns, in what was a rare contact between representatives of the two powers. Relations between China and the United States have been strained with the issue of the Chinese spy balloon that was shot down over the US sky last February, which caused a diplomatic incident between Washington and Beijing, which is already divided on many points of bilateral relations, to communicate from the Taiwan issue.
“Relations between the two countries have returned to a state of stalemate again,” said the Chinese foreign minister, in a Beijing diplomatic note that did not include any statements by the US ambassador. “The top priority is to stabilize China-US relations, avoid deterioration and prevent incidents between China and the United States,” he said. For Chen, “it is not possible to talk about contacts on the one hand and continue to suppress and contain China on the other hand.” It is necessary to respect China’s sovereignty, security and development interests, and “correctly manage” the Taiwan issue. The Chinese foreign minister reiterated Beijing’s position that it should “stop supporting and forgive separatist forces for the sake of Taiwan independence,” as Beijing defines the current leadership of the island, led by President Tsai Ing-wen. It’s hard to think of a thaw on these bases.
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