Thawing US-China relations: Competition meets interdependence

THE meeting of US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping in mid-November signalled the start of a diplomatic thaw – a much-welcomed reset after tensions escalated since the visit of Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan in 2022.

In fact, a series of strategic moves had paved the way for the meeting: from Anthony Blinken’s visit to Beijing in June to visits by US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry in the summer. These high-level visits culminated in the eventual meeting of the leaders of the world’s two largest economies on US soil in November.

The most significant outcome from the hours of high-level dialogue is that channels of communication have reopened, and both sides are no longer using intemperate language. So what changed to spark the diplomatic thaw?