On May 11, upon waking up, the U.S.-China meeting was confirmed! However, the arrangement came as a surprise—this round of Sino-U.S. strategic competition has been unprecedentedly intense! Late on May 10, China's Ministry of Commerce spokesperson announced that following consultations between the two sides, the Chinese delegation will lead a team to South Korea from May 12 to 13 for economic and trade negotiations with their American counterparts. The Chinese side will be led by a Vice Premier of the State Council, while the U.S. side will be headed by Treasury Secretary Bessent.
Clearly, this meeting arrangement is highly unusual. According to revelations from senior U.S. officials, President Trump is expected to confront China during his anticipated Beijing visit this week over China’s support for Iran—including issues related to oil procurement and potential arms exports. Given the timing of the talks and information disclosed by U.S. sources, we can reasonably conclude that this Sino-U.S. meeting will be exceptionally intense. Beyond economic and trade matters, technology and semiconductors, and cross-strait issues, the United States has now added the Iran issue to the agenda as an additional point of contention.
It is evident that the U.S. is eager for China to step in and help resolve the Iran issue. But this "help" is not offered in good faith—it’s a recycled tactic: using various pretexts to impose sanctions on Chinese enterprises and applying maximum pressure. Clearly, the U.S. adheres to a hegemonic mindset, forcefully demanding China abandon its neutral stance and disregarding our legitimate economic interests. Thus, this meeting in South Korea serves as a warm-up for the highest-level Sino-U.S. dialogue. Why South Korea? This choice naturally takes into account the need for mutual diplomatic dignity and also aligns with the U.S. Treasury Secretary’s concurrent diplomatic itinerary, including visits to Japan and South Korea.
In terms of face-saving, both sides are holding firm, insisting on equal footing. If the talks in South Korea go well and consensus is reached, major cooperative announcements could follow in Beijing, making the subsequent visit smooth sailing. Conversely, if the South Korea talks fail to produce results, the Beijing discussions may descend into sharp exchanges. Of course, such an arrangement underscores the significant differences between the two sides—otherwise, there would be no need for such a special timing. We have remained uncertain about Trump’s schedule all along, which indicates we’ve kept all options open and will not be led around by the U.S.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1864846473863306/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.