[Opinion] The Underwhelming US-China Alaska Talks

[Asia Economy]

U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken and White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan met with China’s Politburo member in charge of foreign affairs Yang Jiechi and Foreign Minister Wang Yi for a high-level diplomatic meeting in Anchorage, Alaska, on March 18-19.

The first high-level U.S.-China meeting under the Joe Biden administration was marked by intense posturing even before it began. Both sides exchanged sharp criticisms, directly attacking each other’s political systems and foreign policies. While the two superpowers boasted about their values and national strength, China’s ‘qualitative’ rise still seemed distant, and President Biden’s declaration that “America is back” appeared to require much more time to materialize.

In fact, there had been expectations for a debut of Biden’s diplomacy that would be distinguished from former President Donald Trump’s, with more refined words and actions. However, the sight of ‘gentlemen’ Blinken and Sullivan meticulously criticizing China gave the impression of a ‘Barump’ diplomacy?Biden on the surface, Trump underneath. If their remarks were made with their own citizens in mind, the shadow cast by Trump was overwhelmingly long and large.

The very fact that the U.S. invited China to Alaska instead of going to Beijing itself reflected a lack of confidence in dealing with China. In 2017, Trump’s first Secretary of State Rex Tillerson flew directly to China right after visiting Japan and South Korea. Was the U.S. this time unwilling to enter hostile territory? Or was it a matter of strategic tactics?

Until just before the Alaska talks, the U.S. appeared to be steadily increasing pressure on China, which suggested a carefully calculated strategy in handling China. On March 12, the first summit of the Quad, a four-nation consultative group consisting of the U.S., Japan, India, and Australia, was held. From March 15 to 18, the U.S.-Japan and South Korea-U.S. foreign and defense ministers’ 2+2 meetings took place.

However, when Yang Jiechi, who had the image of a ‘polite model student,’ delivered an unexpected blow, Biden’s diplomacy floundered, hastily calling back the press corps that was leaving the meeting room. The U.S. strategy toward China turned out to be all show and no substance, a ‘dragon with a head but no tail,’ and ultimately failed to deliver the ‘finishing touch’ by striking the dragon’s eye.

China, on its part, was all alone in beating the drum and playing the gong. Praising itself with statements like “China is not the China of 100 years ago” and “This will be recorded as a historic milestone of openly confronting the U.S.,” but this was precisely China’s limitation.

Although China’s size has grown, psychologically it remains stuck in the Opium War of 100 years ago. Chinese diplomacy failed to show its own distinctive character. While China had reasons to vent its anger over U.S. discourtesies such as the cancellation of the welcome dinner, its response was low-level. It was the typical manner of Chinese officials dealing with foreign dignitaries.

China merely expressed anger; there was no eloquence or masterful coalition-building like the historical strategists Su Qin and Zhang Yi, who once controlled others with their words. Despite pouring vast amounts of money worldwide through the Belt and Road Initiative and public diplomacy, China missed a golden opportunity to improve its image globally under the watchful eyes of the world.

Meanwhile, both the U.S. and China sought to attract the international audience to their side. Blinken subtly emphasized the strength of regional alliances by highlighting his recent visits to Japan and South Korea just before the talks. In response, Yang Jiechi reminded that Japan and South Korea are China’s second and third largest trading partners. As a result, the U.S. drew Japan and South Korea into its efforts to check China, and China, unwilling to be outdone, also drew them into its sphere.

Judging by the level of these great powers, the future of South Korean diplomacy during Biden’s four years does not seem smooth. South Korean diplomacy will also need to properly position itself between the U.S. and China and find its own way out.

Hwang Jae-ho, Professor, Department of International Studies, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies