At the peak of the Cold War, Détente was designed to serve the purpose of reducing tensions, by increasing government to government engagement over issues where ther

At the peak of the Cold War, Détente was designed to serve the purpose of reducing tensions, by increasing government to government engagement over issues where there were mutual interests for the US and USSR. The pattern leading to US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken’s visit to Beijing leads back to the question - are US & China in for a Détente ?

Relations between Washington & Beijing nosedived after Speaker Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan in August 2022. When the two Presidents met on the sidelines of G20 in Bali, the two sides agreed to renew government to government engagement at various levels in order to “de-risk” the bilateral relationship.

Secretary Blinken was slated to visit Beijing in early 2023 but had to cancel his trip because of the, in the words of President Biden, “silly” incident of a spy balloon. The first senior engagement came when the Chinese Commerce Minister visited Washington to meet his American counterpart and the US Trade Representative.

Although the meeting did not yield fruitful results, it was backed by China’s move to appoint its Ambassador in Washington after leaving the post vacant for 5 months. Immediately after assuming his duties, Ambassador Xie Feng met the Under Secretary of State & Under Secretary of Treasury in late May.

Washington followed this up by sending the US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia & Pacific Affairs and Senior Director for China & Taiwan at the National Security Council to Beijing. Another monumental meeting took place in Vienna when China’s top diplomat Wang Yi met US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan.

China’s refusal to arrange a meeting between Secretary of Defence Llyod Austin and his Chinese counterpart Li Shangfu on the sidelines of Shangri-La dialogue in Singapore paints a rather pessimistic picture. The best guess can be that Beijing is apprehensive of American motives behind seeking a substantial dialogue.

US-China trade registered a record $700 billion in 2022, showing how closely integrated the two countries are. Visits by American corporate leaders like Elon Musk, Warren Buffett, Tim Cook and Bill Gates shows a renewed American effort to add a commercial angle to the greater security debate.

China is not interested in talking anything substantial with the US as it feels that the US is deceiving China under the disguise of greater engagement. The Chinese leadership seems convinced that the US is trying everything it can to derail China’s development. How far Secretary Blinken’s visit can bring about a “thaw” remains to be seen as the two sides gear up for a diplomatic showdown in Beijing.

US-China Détente ?

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