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Xi-Biden talks ‘one step closer’ after Wang Yi’s US trip, but China warns it won’t be ‘smooth sailing’
- During Washington visit, top diplomat says path to potential meeting between leaders at next month’s Apec forum cannot rely on ‘automatic driving’
- Analysts say Beijing wants more reassurance before committing, but election season in Washington could whip up tough talk on China
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Top Chinese diplomat Wang Yi’s trip to the US may have moved the two countries a step closer to a Xi-Biden meeting next month, but Washington may be hesitant to give Beijing the assurances it hopes for because of the looming US election season, according to analysts.
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Wang’s three-day trip, which concluded on Saturday, featured meetings with top officials and the business community, with the talks widely interpreted as positive.
Dylan Loh, an assistant professor specialising in China’s foreign policy at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, said the increase in high-profile visits on both sides signalled that a Xi-Biden meeting could take place on the Apec sidelines.
“Most of the obstacles have largely been removed, [and] barring any sudden or dramatic developments, most people will bet on the meeting taking place,” he said.
While calling for stable and healthy ties with the US, Wang was cautious about whether talks between the leaders at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit next month in San Francisco would go ahead.
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He said the path towards a meeting would not be “smooth sailing” or rely on “autonomous driving”, according to China’s foreign ministry.
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