Chinese Foreign Ministry: "Achieved through US Proposal... Will Strengthen Cooperation"
[Asia Economy Reporter Jo Yujin] Wendy Sherman, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, will make a surprise visit to China on the 25th. Sherman is the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit China since the Biden administration took office in January. There is speculation that the two countries, which have consistently been at odds, may cooperate on issues such as North Korea, Iran, and climate change through this meeting.
On the 21st (local time), the U.S. State Department announced in a press release that Deputy Secretary Sherman will visit China from the 25th to 26th and meet with Chinese officials including Wang Yi, State Councilor and Foreign Minister, in Tianjin. Sherman’s China visit was added at the last minute during her three-country tour of South Korea, Mongolia, and Japan, which began on the 18th and continues until the 25th.
Sherman’s visit to China is expected to cover various agendas including discussions aimed at bringing North Korea back to the nuclear negotiation table, as well as Iran and climate change. In particular, since North Korea has shown little response despite attempts at contact following the Biden administration’s completion of a new North Korea policy review, this visit is anticipated to be an opportunity to seek a breakthrough in U.S.-North Korea relations.
Regarding this, Ned Price, spokesperson for the State Department, said at a briefing that "it is fair to say that we have some overlapping interests concerning North Korea, and we believe we are in a position to pursue that." This suggests that the U.S. views the goal of North Korean denuclearization as aligned with China’s interests as well, and that Sherman’s visit will involve collaborative discussions on this issue.
He also stated, "We have talked about climate issues and possibilities related to Afghanistan, and we have also had similar discussions regarding North Korea."
After the announcement of Deputy Secretary Sherman’s China visit plan, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs also emphasized in a statement that "this meeting was arranged at the request of the United States," and the Hong Kong South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that Sherman will meet with Vice Foreign Minister Xie Feng before the meeting with Foreign Minister Wang.
Zhao Lijian, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said, "As the largest developing country and the largest developed country, China and the United States have a shared responsibility to strengthen cooperation and set an example for the world," adding, "Cooperation between China and the U.S. in specific areas is closely related to the soundness of China-U.S. relations."
Meanwhile, there is speculation that this visit could serve as a foothold for a possible future diplomatic meeting between the U.S. and China’s foreign ministers or a summit. It has been anticipated that the first U.S.-China summit since President Biden’s inauguration might take place during the G20 summit at the end of October in Rome, Italy.
President Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping have communicated via phone calls and indirect video contacts during climate change summits and the G20 summit, but have not held a face-to-face meeting.
The process of deciding Sherman’s visit to China also showed signs of a diplomatic tug-of-war between the U.S. and China. Initially, Hong Kong media reported that Sherman would visit China during her Asia tour, but the State Department’s press release on the 15th did not include China.
Foreign media reported that the U.S. proposed a meeting between Sherman and Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Luo Yucheng, but China wanted to send a lower-ranking official, which was the reason for the delay. Later, citing State Department officials, it was reported that discussions about the China visit were ongoing, and Hong Kong media suggested that Foreign Minister Wang might personally welcome Sherman to show China’s sincerity.
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