China, Alaska ‘2+2 talks’… I don’t expect historical progress

WSJ to demand Trump-era sanctions and withdrawal of regulations at talks in China
Chinese media will be a debate in which both sides argue for each other’s position

[아시아경제 베이징=조영신 특파원] The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on the 17th that China is going to demand the withdrawal of many of its policies toward China during the former administration of Donald Trump at a high-level meeting with the US and China in Alaska on the 18th (local time).

On the other hand, the United States is expected to put all of its trade, technology, human rights, and regional security issues on the table and put forth all-round pressure on China.

At the meeting, China will urge the United States to withdraw sanctions and restrictions on individuals and institutions under the former Trump administration, officials familiar with the Chinese initiative told the WSJ.

The measures China wants to withdraw include restrictions on sales of China’s largest communications equipment company Huawei, the largest semiconductor company, SMIC, restrictions on visas for Chinese Communist Party members, international students, and state media reporters, and the closure of the Chinese consulate in Houston. Reported.

The US is expected to emphasize the repression of freedom in Hong Kong, expansion of naval power in the South China Sea, economic pressure on US allies, theft of intellectual property rights and cybersecurity attacks, the WSJ said. However, the two sides are likely to make their own arguments, so the talks will be a place to confirm how large the gap between the two sides is, WSJ predicted.

The same prospects as WSJ appeared in Chinese media. The state-run Global Times expressed displeasure, saying that the Joe Biden administration has designated 24 senior Hong Kong officials as the target of sanctions ahead of the Alaska talks.

U.S. sanctions included Tam Yoo-chung, Hong Kong’s only standing committee member of the National People’s Congress of China (Non-in University), and Wang Chun, vice-chairman of the NPC’s standing committee and a political member.

The Global Times said that the US’s action was to blur hopes of re-establishing bilateral relations, and said China’s firm position on Hong Kong would not be shaken.

“The US sanctions show that the Biden administration has inherited most of the previous Trump administration’s confrontation policy,” said Jin Chan-long, vice president of the People’s University of China International Relations Academy. “You should not have any fantasies or hopeful thoughts about the Biden administration.” .

“Hong Kong is under Chinese sovereignty, and there is nothing the United States can do to prevent this,” said Yang Si-wi, a senior researcher at the China Institute for International Affairs. “Even if the United States sanctions more Chinese officials, China will firmly push for reform in Hong Kong.” Said.

Diao Daming, an associate professor of the International Relations Institute at People’s University, said, “This face-to-face meeting in Alaska is at the request of the United States,” he diagnosed, indicating that the United States wants to improve relations.

The Global Times, citing Chinese experts, emphasized that China and the United States should be a forum of debate to argue for each other’s position at this Alaska conference. “We should not expect historical progress in this one conference.

He added that China is already a strategic competitor to the United States, and as its national power has increased, it should be patient and show China’s maturity.

Beijing = Correspondent Cho Young-shin [email protected]