China says US talks are crucial as Trump targets Beijing’s partners
According to China’s top diplomat, US-China dialogue is essential for averting globally harmful miscalculations, as he spoke on Saturday in anticipation of the upcoming summit this month between leaders Xi Jinping and Donald Trump. “Failure to engage between the two nations would only lead to misunderstandings and misjudgements, escalating toward confrontation and harming the world,” Foreign Minister Wang Yi told on the sidelines of an annual parliament meeting in Beijing. As the US president concentrates on the conflict initiated with Israel against Iran, analysts are closely monitoring for indications that his planned meeting with Xi will proceed. China has not previously announced the summit, which is anticipated for the end of the month.
“The agenda for high-level exchanges (with the US) is on the table,” Wang said. “What is required is for both sides to make thorough preparations to create a conducive environment to manage existing differences,” he added, without providing further details. In addition to the week-old Iran war, which has resulted in the deaths of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and over 1,300 others in the country, as reported by Tehran, Trump sanctioned the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in January, thereby testing Beijing’s commitment to its strategic partners. Wang seemed to criticize Trump’s “Donroe Doctrine” – a reimagining of a 19th-century policy that claims Washington’s sphere of influence in the Americas. It presents a significant challenge to Xi’s prominent “Belt and Road” infrastructure and global security initiatives.
“If China, like some traditional major powers, was keen on carving out spheres of influence in its neighbourhood, stoking bloc confrontation, or even shifting problems onto its neighbours, would Asia still be as stable as it is today?” Wang said. He did not specify the US. Trump has also threatened military action against Colombia and Mexico and stated that Cuba’s communist regime “looks like it’s ready to fall” on its own, raising questions for Latin American countries regarding how their ties with China might safeguard them if challenged.
