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As US Election Hangs in Balance, China Seeks to Reduce Tensions

Saibal Dasgupta

   This week a top Chinese diplomat expressed hopes that whoever wins the
   U.S. presidential election, the two countries will work to reduce
   tensions over trade and other issues.
   In a carefully worded statement, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Le
   Yucheng on Thursday said he expects whoever wins the election to meet
   China halfway and avoid the path of conflict and confrontation. He did
   not say which of the two presidential candidates he expects to win but
   made it clear Chinese officials are looking for ways to improve
   relations.
   "We hope that the next U.S. government will meet China halfway; uphold
   the principles of non-conflict, non-confrontation, mutual respect and
   win-win cooperation; focus on collaboration; manage differences; and
   push forward bilateral ties along the right track," Le said while
   replying to a question posed at a news conference.
   Relations between Beijing and Washington this year plummeted over the
   coronavirus pandemic, but before then Trump's China policy changed
   through his presidency.
   Trump hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping for a meeting in the first
   months of his administration. However, relations worsened during a
   trade war and as the coronavirus health crisis grew in 2020, Trump
   strongly criticized China over in allowing the outbreak to become a
   global pandemic.
   Biden has called for more attention on human rights issues in China and
   the situation in Hong Kong. He also has supported keeping pressure on
   China for its trade methods.
   American experts think there is little reason for China to celebrate
   whoever wins the presidency because the damage done by Chinese trade
   and investment policy is felt across the political spectrum in the U.S.
   "If China expects an incoming Biden administration to simply "forgive
   and forget" China's misbehavior on trade, tech, Hong Kong, Xinjiang,
   and other issues, they're likely in for a rude awakening," Scott
   Kennedy, Senior Adviser and Trustee Chair in Chinese Business &
   Economics, Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) told
   VOA.

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