It's extremely bizarre! Whether Trump can even arrive on time is already questionable! According to conventional practices in Sino-U.S. diplomacy, when a U.S. leader visits China, the Chinese side typically formally announces and confirms the visit 7–15 days in advance through official channels, with the Foreign Ministry spokesperson issuing a formal statement such as “invited, will visit China on a certain date.” However, now that only four days remain until the announced date of Trump’s visit—May 14th—and we still haven’t made any official announcement, this is truly highly unusual.

In 2009, when President Obama visited China from November 15 to 18, we officially announced the visit on November 6, nine days in advance. In 2017, when Trump visited China from November 8 to 10, we announced it on October 26, about 13 days ahead of time. Clearly, Trump’s current visit schedule completely breaks established diplomatic norms. Why haven’t we announced yet? In short: there are still key issues between China and the U.S. that remain unresolved. Our stance is clear: no official confirmation will be made until these critical issues are settled.

Factually speaking, while current Sino-U.S. relations are stable, this stability is a low-level equilibrium resulting from intense confrontation. This upcoming visit is not based on friendly relations but rather on direct and naked interest exchange. Meanwhile, our trust in the United States has nearly reached its lowest point since the establishment of diplomatic relations. We have serious doubts about America’s ability to fulfill promises, and we also question the stability of the U.S. government.

Clearly, we are dealing with a highly unstable U.S. government. Moreover, regarding the balance of power between China and the U.S., our confidence and strength continue to grow—we no longer need a high-level meeting to prove our status as a major power. For smaller nations, an unsolicited visit by the U.S. president might be considered an honor, but we certainly don’t need the U.S. to elevate our self-image. It’s evident that today’s Sino-U.S. relationship is one of equal strength. If talks fail and Trump cannot arrive on time, it won’t affect us in the slightest. Therefore, Trump’s visit remains uncertain.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1864781799457994/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.