Time.news – IS open confrontation in Alaska between China and the United States, at the first summit since Joe Biden he took office in the White House.
Relations between the two great powers were already tense but at the summit in Anchorage, Alaska, the opening statements, of the circumstance before the actual diplomatic talks, turned into a fiery exchange of criticisms and accusations that lasted almost a ‘Now. The Chinese have even gone so far as to accuse the Americans of not being hospitable and of having violated the rules of diplomatic protocol. And all in front of the cameras: the degree of deterioration in relations between Washington and Beijing was shown worldwide.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, he immediately underlined the “deep concern” for the human rights violations against the Uyghur Muslim minority, on the issues of Hong Kong, Taiwan, for the cyber attacks on the United States and for Beijing’s methods of “economic coercion”.
“Each of these actions threatens the rules-based order that maintains global stability,” said the head of US diplomacy.
China’s response is tough: “We thought too highly of the United States. We thought that the United States would follow diplomatic protocol, “retorted the director of the Chinese Communist Party’s Foreign Affairs Commission, Yang Jiechi, speaking in bursts for fifteen minutes.
The US must “change its image” instead of making “irresponsible remarks” on human rights and democracy in China and, he added, must abandon “the zero-sum gambling mentality, the practice of long-arm jurisdiction, and not abuse of the concept of national security to interfere in normal trade “.
This, Foreign Minister Wang Yi echoed, “not the way to treat guests”: Washington must abandon “old US hegemonic habits” and stop interfering in China’s internal affairs. Blinken in return branded Beijing’s position as theatrical: “The Chinese delegation seems to have arrived with the intention of showing off, focused on theatricality over substance”.
And the head of US diplomacy has insisted that there is “deep satisfaction” from US allies with the US return to the global stage, while there is “deep concern” about China’s actions.
Tense climate already on the eve
The United States has angered Beijing imposing sanctions on Chinese officials in Hong Kong to give the green light to the reform of the electoral system of the city, destined to marginalize pro-democracy voices in the former British colony. The sanctions, warned the Chinese foreign minister “will not shake the firm will of the Chinese people to safeguard national sovereignty and dignity”.
The disagreement concerned the very format of the meeting: a “high-level dialogue” for China; a face to face to discuss the many points of dissent for Washington.
A third round of talks is scheduled for today, even if the premises are anything but encouraging: for Beijing, the US “does not have the qualifications to be able to speak to China from a position of strength”. Washington, on the other hand, insists on the points on the agenda: “These are not merely internal issues, and we have an obligation to raise them”.
Down the Chinese stock exchanges
The trading of stocks in Anchorage contributed to push down the Chinese stock exchanges: Shanghai closed down by 1.69%, while in Shenzhen the Component index ended the session down by 2.56%.
Among the first reactions is that of Hu Xijin, editor of the fierce tabloid Global Times. “China and the United States have never accused each other so openly and rudely,” he commented on Twitter, and Chinese society is “tired of US arrogance, double standards and hooliganism”. The outcome, however, was largely anticipated by Washington.
“We expect very, very tough discussions,” a US delegation official said before the talks began.
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