ISLAMABAD - Pakistan is happy that China and the United States have held a historic dialogue – a step towards averting a new cold war.
Pakistan is very close to China and despite ups and downs in relationship - remains an ally of the US. The US has on a number of times, shown displeasure with Islamabad’s unique closeness to Beijing.
Pakistan has repeatedly made it clear that it will not be supporting bloc politics at the global level and wanted good ties with all the countries, especially the super powers.
Prior to the USSR disintegration in 1991, the US and the USSR were engaged in a fierce cold war and the world was virtually divided into two blocs – supporting one or the other. Pakiintegration in 1991, the US and the USSR were engaged in a fierce cold war and the world was virtually divided into two blocs – supporting one or the other. Pakistan then supported the US.
Yesterday, Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden have promised to cooperate on global challenges and agreed on the need to improve strained relations as they sat down for their first in-person meeting as national leaders.
The meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, involved ‘candid’ discussions on a range of issues, including Taiwan, trade, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, according to separate statements from their offices.
Following the three-hour long talks, Biden told the journalists he believed “there need not be a new Cold War,” while their offices said the two leaders stressed the importance of cooperation between Beijing and Washington to tackle global issues.
The meeting follows a spike in tensions between the two countries after top US legislator Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan earlier this year and Biden promised to defend the self-ruled island - which Beijing claims as its own - if China invades it.
“On Taiwan, (Biden) laid out in detail that our one China policy has not changed, the United States opposes any unilateral changes to the status quo by either side, and the world has an interest in the maintenance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait,” the White House said.
Under the ‘One China policy’, the US recognises the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in Beijing over the Republic of China (ROC) in Taipei as the sole and legal government of China. But Washington takes no position on Taiwan’s sovereignty, contending that its future should be determined by peaceful means.
This policy is different to the PRC’s ‘One China principle’, under which Beijing insists that Taiwan is an inalienable part of its territory.
Chinese official media cited Xi as saying that the “two sides should work with all countries to bring more hope to world peace, greater confidence in global stability, and stronger impetus to common development.”
For his part, Xi stressed that the “Taiwan question is at the very core of China’s core interests, the bedrock of the political foundation of China-US relations, and the first red line that must not be crossed in China-US relations.” Resolving this question is an internal Chinese matter and the US must not use Taiwan as a tool to seek advantages in competition with China, he said, according to readout of the meeting by the Chinese foreign ministry.
After the meeting ended, Biden told journalists that Washington does not believe there was an immediate threat of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan.
“I absolutely believe there need not be a new Cold War,” Biden said. “I’ve met many times with Xi Jinping. And we were candid and clear with one another across the board. And I do not think there’s any imminent attempt on the part of China to invade Taiwan.”
Beyond Taiwan, ties between Beijing and Washington have soured over numerous other points of tension in recent years, including trade issues, human rights, claims to the South China Sea and an ongoing US effort to counter China’s growing influence in the Indo-Pacific.
The White House said Biden raised concerns with Xi over China’s “practices in Xinjiang, Tibet, and Hong Kong, and human rights more broadly”. The US has accused China of carrying out genocide against its Muslim Uighur minority in the western region of Xinjiang — a charge that Beijing vehemently denies.
He also raised concerns about ‘China’s non-market practices’ and said it was a priority for Washington to resolve the cases of American citizens detained by Beijing.
Pakistani diplomats said the talks between China and the US had been positive and a new beginning. “We cannot expect all issues to be resolved in one sitting but the statements from both the sides have been encouraging. We support the dialogue for solution of the issues at all levels,” said a senior diplomat. Another diplomat said, “The talks at the highest level always help resolve issues. The two presidents have shown the intent to resolve the issues and move forward. Pakistan is hopeful of positive results in the long run.”