The world’s number two economy, and America’s top trade partner, was cast as a boogeyman by the Trump administration, which blamed the Chinese for the coronavirus pandemic, the trade deficit, IP theft, opioid addiction, spying, military aggression and much more besides.
Trillions of dollars and global stability hinge on the estranged superpowers finding common ground wherever possible.
“China and the United States are competitors, of course, but competition in itself should not be viewed as a destructive force,” says Victor Gao, a Chinese expert on international relations. “Competition can actually bring also good things for both countries and for mankind as a whole.”
President Biden has spent “more time in private meetings” with Chinese President Xi Jinping than any world leader, in 25 hours of private dinners. Xi, in turn, lauded Biden as “my old friend” in 2013.
Cordiality is sorely needed.
Communication channels between U.S. and Chinese officials are currently “zippo,” according to one top U.S. diplomat, while China’s ambassador to the U.S., Cui Tiankai, has been completely frozen out of discussions with even junior Trump administration officials.
This is dangerous on many levels—not least because it creates a lack of a de-escalation mechanisms, should there be an accident, or miscalculation.
An early first summit between Biden and Xi will help set the tone for relations.
Biden’s easiest win may simply be the fact that he is not his predecessor.
“Trump is fundamentally a person without decency, and you cannot have a friend without decency,” says Gao. “Biden is a person with decency—that’s very, very important.”
China unveiled plans to rollback red tape on financial services, of which U.S. firms are market leaders.
Although such reforms have been promised many times before, bankers tell TIME that the new proposals are more tangible.
Such concessions can be built upon by a determined Biden White House.
There are also opportunities to build consensus on issues like coronavirus vaccine development, education, cultural ties, nuclear proliferation, trade and investment.
https://time.com/5908121/joe-biden-us-china/