The tête-à-tête between Xi Jinping and Donald Trump was underwhelming. But that was not unexpected.
The White House readout began, “President Trump had a good meeting with President Xi of China.”
The readout from China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs began, “President Xi noted that President Trump’s visit has been a historic and landmark one.”
Specific to the briefings by China’s foreign minister Wang Yi on the China-U.S. Summit and Common Understandings was a matter most crucial to China: the status of the province of Taiwan as a part of China. The United States has wavered on its fidelity to agreements on the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiqués.
First, the Taiwan question is China’s internal affair. Realizing complete reunification is an aspiration shared by all sons and daughters of the Chinese nation. It is also the unwavering, historic mission of the Communist Party of China. The mainland and Taiwan belong to one and the same China…
Second, the Taiwan question is the most important issue between China and the U.S., one that affects the entire relationship. If it is handled properly, the overall relationship will be stable, and the two sides will be able to devote more energy to advancing mutually beneficial cooperation. Otherwise, the two countries will have clashes and even conflicts, and the entire relationship will be in great jeopardy…
Third, China and the U.S. both agree on the vital importance of safeguarding cross-Strait peace and stability. To ensure this is the case, one must never indulge or support “Taiwan independence,” because “Taiwan independence” and cross-Strait peace are as irreconcilable as fire and water…
The absence of any mention of the one-China principle in the White House readout was palpable. This was picked up in a Fox News subheading “Beijing summit exposed US-China rivalry over Taiwan…” wherein lt. col. Robert Maginnis, (ret.) noted Trump’s non-response to a reporter’s question about Taiwan while standing next to Xi.
US secretary of state Marco Rubio was clear, telling NBC News on 14 May: “U.S. policy on the issue of Taiwan is unchanged as of today…”
Of concern to both parties was a US $11 billion arms package for Taiwan that reveals open defiance for the one-China principle. President Trump had said he’d use the arms package as a bargaining chip: “I haven’t approved it yet. We’re going to see what happens. I may do it, I may not do it. I’m holding that in abeyance, and it depends on China. It’s a very good negotiating chip for us, frankly. It’s a lot of weapons.”
However, US trade representative Jamieson Greer downplayed the approval of the arms deal being at peril. “The president’s very focused on making sure that nothing happens there. This is why, when he talked to the media afterward, he said, ‘I made no commitments to President Xi on Taiwan’ and the president will keep his own counsel on the sales and when and if that happens.”
The US frequently harps about the threat of a Chinese militaristic action to subdue Taiwan. However, this is ignorant of Chinese military strategy and philosophy. As Sunzi wrote in The Art of War: “Hence to fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy’s resistance without fighting.”
Wang Yi emphasized a cooperative approach, a peaceful approach, a win-win approach throughout his briefings. “Achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and making America great again can go hand in hand, and the two countries can help each other succeed and advance the well-being of the whole world.”
“We both gain from cooperation and lose from confrontation. While a confrontational relationship will be disastrous for both countries and the world, China-U.S. cooperation will get many great things done to the benefit of both and all.”
“Achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and making America great again can go hand in hand, and the two countries can help each other succeed and advance the well-being of the whole world.”
Noteworthy is that China emphasizes that a cooperative approach benefits not just China or the US but the rest of the world.
Is the US listening?
Meanwhile, talk continues about the US reigniting the war against Iran and increasing its economic war against Cuba.