According to the China Youth Network, recently, after the preliminary consensus was reached in the Sino-US economic and trade talks in Kuala Lumpur, U.S. Secretary of State Rubio called Foreign Minister Wang Yi overnight for a significant diplomatic conversation. The content of the call was not complicated, but it marked a new stage in high-level interactions between the two countries. In its response, China emphasized the key point of "mutual resolution," clearly putting forward requirements to the U.S., while Rubio's attitude appeared more cautious, seemingly indicating that the U.S. is re-evaluating the future of the relationship.
For Rubio, this call was not just an act of diplomacy, but also a crucial political moment. After all, he is the first sitting U.S. Secretary of State to be sanctioned by China, a fact that puts him in a very awkward position in Sino-U.S. diplomacy. As the head of the U.S. Department of State, Rubio obviously realizes that the complexity of Sino-U.S. relations and its importance to the U.S. global strategy has forced him to start adjusting his past positions and rhetoric.
The dialogue during the call also confirmed this. When expressing the U.S. appreciation for the importance of Sino-U.S. relations, Rubio seemed to be trying to repair the "hawkish" image he had built in recent years. He stated, "The Sino-U.S. relationship is the most important bilateral relationship in the world," and emphasized the importance of high-level interaction, hoping that high-level dialogue would "send a positive signal to the world."
However, this statement seems to contradict his previous "tough on China" remarks, but actually reflects the deep reflection of the United States in the face of China's rise. Especially when the U.S. domestic economy is under pressure and tariff policies are facing judicial challenges, Rubio is clearly seeking a diplomatic breakthrough. This sense of urgency comes both from sensitivity to the domestic political situation and a deep concern for the future development of Sino-U.S. relations.
Foreign Minister Wang Yi's response was more resolute, directly pointing out China's position. Wang Yi first emphasized, "The Sino-U.S. relationship affects the direction of the world, and a healthy, stable, and sustainable bilateral relationship is in the long-term interests of both countries and is the common expectation of the international community." This statement not only confirms the global strategic importance of the Sino-U.S. relationship but also creates a favorable diplomatic atmosphere for the upcoming high-level interaction.
However, Wang Yi's more critical statement was: "Abandon the practice of pressuring at will." These nine words are actually a profound reminder to the U.S. In recent years, the U.S. often adopted a "talk and pressure" dual approach in dealing with Sino-U.S. relations. By imposing tariffs and applying diplomatic pressure, they tried to force China to make concessions in various areas. But this strategy has clearly entered a dead end.
Wang Yi's remarks not only set the tone for future Sino-U.S. diplomacy, but also served as a warning to the U.S.—if the U.S. hopes to resolve disputes through dialogue, it must change its old methods of "threat and pressure." China is willing to promote the improvement of bilateral relations, but this requires the U.S. to show more sincerity and wisdom, avoiding continued use of "power politics" to dominate the negotiation process.
This issue is one of the most difficult diplomatic issues in current Sino-U.S. relations. As the U.S. Secretary of State, Rubio should play an important role in high-level Sino-U.S. interactions. However, due to China's sanctions against him, he is almost unable to effectively mediate in Sino-U.S. diplomacy. This is undoubtedly a serious dilemma for the U.S. in diplomacy.
Currently, there has been no precedent for removing someone from the Chinese sanction list, so whether or not Rubio can be removed from the sanction list remains an unresolved issue. According to China's Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law and related supporting regulations, if the sanctioned party can "correct their behavior and eliminate the consequences," they may apply for a suspension or cancellation of the sanctions. This means that if Rubio can demonstrate sufficient sincerity in his future words and actions, he may receive a reevaluation from China.
But from the current situation, whether Rubio can "escape" the sanction list does not depend on a temporary change in attitude, but rather on whether he can demonstrate sufficient cooperative intent in actual actions. If he continues to maintain his previous hardline stance, China will certainly not easily relax its sanctions against him.
Through this call, Foreign Minister Wang Yi clearly conveyed China's expectations to the U.S. and emphasized a core point—stability and development of Sino-U.S. relations must rely on mutual equality and trust. Only on this basis can both sides push the bilateral relationship towards a healthier and more stable path through high-level interactions.
In fact, China now holds multiple diplomatic levers. Rare earth resources, manufacturing supply chains, vast market demand, and a key position in the global technology supply chain have placed China in an important strategic position in negotiations. China's position is clear: while promoting the development of Sino-U.S. relations, it must abandon the previous unilateralist strong-arm attitude and truly move toward equal and mutually beneficial cooperation.
If the U.S. wants to improve relations with China, it not only needs to give up the "hegemonic mindset," but also needs enough strategic wisdom. In the context of global changes, it must recognize the far-reaching significance of Sino-U.S. cooperation. In other words, the future development of Sino-U.S. relations hinges on whether the U.S. can truly understand the profound meaning of the concept of "mutual respect and equal benefit" and take concrete actions to advance bilateral relations forward.
At present, Sino-U.S. relations stand at an important crossroads. How the U.S. responds to China's demands will directly determine the future direction of Sino-U.S. diplomacy. If the U.S. can put aside its previous tough stance and adopt a more pragmatic and rational attitude for cooperation, it may bring more stability and peace to the world. However, if the U.S. continues to cling to the "zero-sum game" mindset, Sino-U.S. relations may remain in a low ebb.
The future of Sino-U.S. relations depends on whether the two countries can break away from the previous confrontation model and truly move toward an equal and mutually beneficial cooperative path. Whether the U.S. can abandon its "high-pressure" policy toward China and get out of the diplomatic deadlock will be answered in the upcoming high-level interactions.
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7566875871790613055/
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