In a surprising turn of events, China has chosen to dispatch its Vice President, Han Zheng, to the upcoming United Nations meeting of government leaders, slated for later this month. This decision departs from previous indications that China’s top foreign policy official, Foreign Minister Wang Yi, would attend this crucial assembly. This development adds complexity to the preparations for Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s expected participation in an Asia-Pacific summit set to take place in San Francisco this November.
Diplomats from both Beijing and Washington have been diligently working to pave the way for Xi’s visit, with earlier signals pointing to Wang’s involvement in the U.N. General Assembly. This was seen as a prelude to detailed discussions in Washington regarding Xi’s forthcoming trip to San Francisco. However, Wang’s absence from the U.N. event raises questions about the timing of the top Chinese diplomat’s visit to the U.S., necessary to solidify Xi’s attendance in the November Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. This summit includes a separate meeting between Xi and President Biden, seen by both sides as a potential catalyst to stabilize their strained relations.
Nevertheless, it’s worth noting that Wang may still undertake a separate U.S. journey. He had previously accepted an invitation from the Biden administration, and scheduling discussions are ongoing, according to sources close to Beijing.
This diplomatic maneuvering by China, sending a largely ceremonial Vice President to the U.N. assembly, underscores Beijing’s penchant for altering the script to maintain leverage and disconcert its counterparts. Furthermore, it’s notable that Xi is skipping a Group of 20 summit, hosted by India, with which China has a contentious border dispute, raising eyebrows and generating speculation.
While there have been diplomatic overtures between China and the U.S. in recent months, policies on both sides remain unchanged, contributing to ongoing tensions. Key issues, such as restrictions on semiconductor exports and military contacts, remain contentious. The Ministry of State Security in China has also unusually commented on U.S.-China relations, hinting at Xi’s potential absence from the San Francisco APEC summit unless the U.S. demonstrates “sufficient sincerity.”
This series of moves from Beijing has led some observers to speculate that China’s leadership is attempting to extract concessions from the U.S., particularly regarding technology restrictions, in exchange for Xi’s participation in the APEC summit and a potential meeting with President Biden. Critics in the U.S., including some Republicans in Congress, have voiced concerns that the Biden administration may be too eager in its outreach to Beijing without achieving significant concessions.
It should be noted that a final decision regarding Xi’s attendance at the upcoming APEC meeting has not yet been confirmed, leaving the diplomatic landscape between China and the U.S. in a state of uncertainty.
