Hopeful but not optimistic about future of ties with Beijing, says US envoy to China
Dec 16, 2023
Washington, DC [US], December 16 : The US envoy to China, Nicholas Burns, on Friday said relations between the two countries are not necessarily improving, but he was 'hopeful' of better ties, The Hill reported.
"I don't feel optimistic about the future of U.S.-China relations because I feel that we need to see how things develop," Burns said at an event hosted by the Brookings Institution.
"We had a good and productive meeting in California. Can we now sustain that engagement? Can we meet our commitments to each other?" he added.
"I've lived the past. The roller-coaster past where communications is cut off and then put back on again," he said, adding, "So, wouldn't say I'm optimistic. I'm careful about this. Maybe realistic. Hopeful, if you will. But hopeful is different than optimistic."
"So far, the Chinese have met their commitments on fentanyl, and I think will in terms of our military-to-military context but let's see that happen over time," Burns said on Friday.
The diplomat said he hoped the two countries could create a relationship where they could compete, adding, however, that it must be done in a responsible way that brings down the possibility of conflict.
His comments come a month after President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping met at a friendly summit in San Francisco. The forum was largely viewed as a positive encounter despite the president calling Xi a "dictator" immediately after it, The Hill reported.
Part of the agreement between the two leaders was establishing military contacts that were severed last year.
It was a high-priority task for Biden, something he views as essential to avoid potentially disastrous, accidental conflicts, The Hill reported earlier.
After meeting the Chinese President, Biden informed that Xi said he would keep the lines of communication open between the two leaders.
They also agreed to restart cooperation on counternarcotics, as the U.S. pushes China to crack down on the export of chemicals used in fentanyl, The Hill reported.
