According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website, on July 9, 2022, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with US Secretary of State Blinken: “The two sides had a comprehensive, in-depth, candid and long discussion on China-US relations and international and regiona

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website, on July 9, 2022, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with US Secretary of State Blinken: "The two sides had a comprehensive, in-depth, candid and peaceful discussion on China-US relations and international and regional issues of common concern. "Long-term communication." Judging from the wording surrounding communication, this dialogue covered a wide range of issues and took a long time, but no specific results were achieved. Its significance is mainly to "enhance mutual understanding and reduce misunderstandings and misjudgments. And it has accumulated conditions for future high-level exchanges between the two countries. "

This meeting is "substantive and constructive."

Wang Yi pointed out during the meeting that "at present, China-US relations have not yet emerged from the dilemma created by the previous US government. , and are even encountering more and more challenges." "The fundamental reason is that there is a problem with the US's perception of China." This is basically consistent with the statement made by President Xi Jinping during the video call with US President Biden on March 18. From China's perspective, the Trump administration is responsible for the current situation in Sino-US relations, and the responsibility lies with the United States. Unfortunately, the current US government has not yet corrected its mistakes.

It is on this basis that China proposed four lists to the United States: a list requiring the United States to correct its wrong policies, words and deeds towards China, a list of key cases that China is concerned about, a list of China-related bills that China is concerned about, and eight areas in which China and the United States are concerned. Cooperation list in order to "properly manage conflicts and differences and strive to resolve outstanding issues."

This also means that, after half a year, Sino-US relations have generally maintained the state of stagnation or deterioration, and have still not made substantial progress. In this regard, China has begun to take proactive measures, firstly, to try to reverse the US's misunderstanding of China, and secondly, to seek areas of cooperation to bridge differences. No matter from which perspective, this is a meaningful and worthwhile endeavor.

There are big differences in the focus of this meeting between China and the United States.

Under normal circumstances, the specific content of this meeting may not be released to the world until the diplomatic files are declassified decades later, but only from the official press releases of both parties. It seems that China and the United States have obviously different concerns about this meeting. China mentioned the Taiwan issue many times during the meeting and demanded that the United States "stop hollowing out and distorting the one-China policy, stop 'slicing sausages' on the Taiwan issue, and not use the 'Taiwan card' to obstruct China's peaceful reunification process"; it demanded that the United States "must Be careful in your words and deeds, and must not send any wrong signals to the "Taiwan independence" forces, must not underestimate the Chinese people's firm determination to defend territorial sovereignty, and must not make subversive mistakes that will ruin peace across the Taiwan Strait."

In China's view, the Taiwan issue. is China's core interest and needs to be constantly reiterated and emphasized. There is no room for compromise. This is of course one of the key core issues in this meeting. However, the focus of the United States is on China's position and actions in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

According to Reuters report, Blinken said in an interview with reporters after the meeting: "I once again expressed to the Royal Council that we are worried about the People's Republic of China aligning with Russia." He also questioned China's role in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Neutral position, believing that China supports Russia in the United Nations and "amplifies Russian propaganda."

It must be admitted that China and the United States obviously have different interests and value perceptions in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. However, as two world powers, communication and exchange of views on major regional issues have always been important for major power coordination and maintenance of strategic stability. The content is also a manifestation of mature diplomacy.

China and the United States have another routine "confrontation" and "show of charm"

and The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed China's different positions, principles, concerns and expectations on many major issues in more detail. The U.S. State Department has so far only announced Blinken and Wang Yi’s brief speeches before the formal meeting.

Blinken said: "There is no substitute for face-to-face diplomacy, sometimes even mask-to-mask diplomacy." Here, Blinken may have made a pun, "mask-to-mask ” can also be understood as “wearing a mask.”

"Collins Advanced Learner's Dictionary" explains diplomacy as the art of saying or doing things carefully without offending people. So, in many cases, diplomats need to hide their true thoughts and convey information in a more discreet and more acceptable way - wearing a mask - either clearly or deliberately vague.

On January 3, the leaders of the five nuclear weapon countries, China, Russia, the United States, the United Kingdom, and France, jointly issued the " Joint Statement on Preventing Nuclear War and Avoiding an Arms Race", stating for the first time that " a nuclear war cannot be won" "We can't even fight" reached a consensus. This also means that the game between China and the United States will largely manifest itself as a diplomatic game, that is, which side can win more international support and create an international environment that is favorable to itself.

In this sense, this meeting is not only another routine diplomatic "confrontation" between China and the United States, preparing for the G20 summit at the end of the year, but also another "charm display" of each in the world spotlight. ".

(Knews editors Zhao Xin and Hao Miaomiao)