China US

China has both expectations and requirements for the upcoming APEC meeting as the recent frequent high-level interactions between China and the US have sent a positive signal to the world, creating a favorable atmosphere for a possible meeting between the two heads of state in San Francisco, some experts said. But uncertainties remain as the US needs to take more concrete moves to show its sincerity given the duplicity in its China policy, which could be done by first reaching a consensus in the finance and trade sectors, they noted. 

US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to hold summit talks in San Francisco next week as they seek to stabilize tense ties by meeting in-person for just the second time in nearly three years, Reuters reported on Wednesday. A senior US government official was quoted as saying in a Nikkei report on the same day that the meeting is scheduled for November 15. 

When asked about this potential arrangement, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said on Wednesday that the two sides have agreed to work together for the meeting between the two Presidents in San Francisco. 

"In the meantime, it won't be plain sailing to San Francisco, nor can we leave it to autopilot to get us there. The two sides need to return to what was agreed between the two Presidents in Bali and truly act on it. What is vital is for both sides to rise above disruptions, overcome obstacles, expand common understandings and accumulate potential outcomes," Wang said. 

In terms of recent important high-level interactions between China and the US, Chinese Vice President Han Zheng said at the sixth Bloomberg New Economy Forum in Singapore on Wednesday that such interactions have raised positive expectations from the international community for the future improvement of China-US relations. 

China is willing to strengthen communication and dialogue with the US side, promote mutually beneficial cooperation, properly manage differences between the two countries, and make joint efforts to address global challenges, Han said. 

Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director-General of Arms Control Sun Xiaobo had arms control and non-proliferation consultations with US Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance (AVC) Mallory Stewart on Monday in Washington, the Chinese Foreign Ministry announced on Wednesday. 

The two sides had in-depth, candid, and constructive exchanges on a wide range of issues, including the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, cooperation among the five nuclear-weapon states, nuclear security, non-proliferation and export controls, biological and chemical compliance, outer space security, and conventional arms control, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said. 

They also emphasized the importance of maintaining communication to enhance mutual trust, build consensus, manage differences, and explore cooperation.

"China and the US currently have positive interactions in all aspects, which lays a very good foundation for stabilizing bilateral relations and possibly more improvements in the future," Li Haidong, a professor at the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Wednesday. 

China and the US have recently resumed contact in a number of areas, including climate, trade and commerce, science and technology, and the military. Along with a trip by China's special envoy for climate change Xie Zhenhua, He Lifeng, China's lead person for China-US economic and trade affairs, is visiting the US from Wednesday to Sunday at the invitation of US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. 

China has both expectations and requirements for the San Francisco summit, as it will take place when there are tangible and visible results, Lü Xiang, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Wednesday. 

"It's not only about the rhetoric but also about the action," he said, noting that the messages put forth by the Chinese side, including Han's words on China-US relations, are paving the way and creating a favorable atmosphere for the summit. 

For instance, whether the two countries can reach any consensus on the economic and trade issues ahead of the summit will be significant for bilateral relations, and an easier task is lifting the additional tariffs that not only hurt Chinese companies but also American consumers, Lü said. 

However, Chinese experts are only cautiously optimistic toward the future prospects of bilateral relations, especially as the US will enter an election year in 2024, and US-China relations will be much more affected by domestic political factors in the US.