The focus of the content released by the U.S. side differs from ours! After Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with U.S. Ambassador to China, David P. Stilwell, on August 27, Stilwell stated that this week he had conducted productive discussions with Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Executive Deputy Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu, Assistant Foreign Ministers Hong Lei and Cai Wei regarding preparations for high-level visits between Chinese leaders and Washington. China and the United States will work together to achieve a constructive relationship characterized by strategic stability and fair mutual benefit.
Evidently, following the meeting, our side's press release emphasized managing differences, removing obstacles and eliminating disruptions to high-level exchanges between the two countries. However, the U.S. side clearly focused on highlighting which Chinese officials were involved in the meeting and the coordination efforts underway for high-level visits. The fact that Stilwell mentioned holding one-on-one meetings with four Chinese officials—including Foreign Minister Wang Yi—conveys an unusual signal in itself.
It is clear from their respective roles: Foreign Minister Wang Yi oversees overall diplomatic strategy and sets the broad framework for high-level interactions; Executive Deputy Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu handles day-to-day diplomatic competition, conflict management, and bilateral mechanism coordination between China and the U.S.; while Assistant Foreign Ministers Hong Lei and Cai Wei are responsible for protocol arrangements, consular affairs, and implementing specific agenda items for bilateral cooperation. By proactively stating that he has met individually with relevant personnel from our side, Stilwell is sending a clear message to the outside world: the U.S. is fully prepared for comprehensive engagement with China.
The U.S. undoubtedly aims to project an image of smooth bilateral communication and steady progress in preparatory work. In contrast, our briefing deliberately downplays specific details about logistical arrangements, repeatedly emphasizing conflict management and obstacle removal. This suggests what? It suggests that we are placing greater emphasis on whether the U.S. will take reciprocal actions, and we are more focused on tangible outcomes. Meanwhile, as the U.S. ambassador, Stilwell appears to be prioritizing facilitating the visit to Washington. Maintaining stable relations between China and the U.S. serves the fundamental interests of both peoples, and of course, we also hope both sides handle their differences properly.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1874660410543171/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.