Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and China’s President Xi Jinping attend a welcoming ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, April 14, 2023 [Ricardo Stuckert/Handout via Reuters]
New York Times: As Xi Befriends World Leaders, He Hardens His Stance on the U.S.
China’s top leader, Xi Jinping, has rolled out the red carpet for President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil, lauding him as “an old friend of the Chinese people.” He has sipped tea in a garden with President Emmanuel Macron of France, treating him to a performance of an ancient Chinese zither. And he has talked on the phone with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, offering well wishes for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
But even as Mr. Xi has offered a glad hand to those and other world leaders in recent weeks, it has been only the cold shoulder for the United States. China has rebuffed attempts by the Biden administration to restart high-level talks and lower tensions over Taiwan. And Mr. Xi’s government has intensified a campaign of ridicule and criticism of the United States and Western democracy.
Read more ….
WNU Editor: For the past few weeks China has been blocking US Secretary of State Blinken’s request to travel to Beijing to talk to his counterpart on US – China relations …. China stalls US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s Beijing visit over US investigation into its ‘spy balloon’ (ABC News Australia). The Chinese reasons why are here …. Two-faced double-dealing of US leaves little room for dialogue: China Daily editorial.
As to what is my take.
My Chinese contacts tell me that there is no point to talk to the Biden administration right now. They are going to wait and hope that President Biden will be defeated in the 2024 Presidential election, and a new US administration with a new policy and approach towards China takes power. When I hear this my response has always been the same …. quoting Hillary Clinton …. ‘hope is not a strategy”.