Secretary of State Antony Blinken will make his long-delayed visit to China in the hope of slowing the downward spiral of relations between Beijing and Washington. But China’s stance suggests that the visit will be as much about confrontation as detente.
General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party
“China has thrown away its illusions,” said Zhu Feng, a professor of international relations at Nanjing University. “It’s less and less confident in the idea that China-U.S. relations could improve because of Chinese efforts.”Xi has recently warned officials to be prepared for “extreme scenarios,” suggesting that external threats are multiplying. Chinese military vessels have maneuvered close to American warships and planes, in what American officials have called unnecessary provocations.
In an editorial last week, The Global Times, a party tabloid, said the United States was “just performing” when asking for engagement. But even that exchange could have limits. Though the Biden administration has insisted that high-level contact with Beijing is important to prevent competition from escalating into military conflict, China has demonstrated what some see as an increasing appetite for confrontation.
“That’s partly why China restricts engagement, because they believe that uncertainty in the mindset of their adversaries grants them an advantage,” he said.
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