2021年2月28日，上外中东研究所潜旭明副研究员在国际期刊 Araa Magazine 发表评论文章“Sino-U.S. Relations During the Period of President Joe Biden’s Administration”，谈拜登执政后的中美关系与中国—海湾合作。Araa Magazine 由沙特阿拉伯智库“海湾研究中心”主办，系聚焦海湾地区事务研究的月刊。

Sino-U.S. Relations During the Period of President Joe Biden’s Administration

Joe Biden took the oath of office on January 20th to become the 46th President of the United States at the U.S. Capitol. The foreign policy of the Biden administration will have a profound impact on the future of U.S.-China relations and even the global pattern. How will China-US relations develop during President Biden's administration? China and the United States compete strategically and economically, but China and the United States can cooperate in many other areas. For example, in the fight against the COVID-19 epidemic, the World Health Organization has ruled out the possibility of the COVID-19 virus leaking from a laboratory in Wuhan, China. The chief epidemiologists of the United States and China, Fauci and Zhong Nanshan, will meet in March, and bilateral cooperation between the United States and China in the fight against the COVID-19 epidemic is likely to develop actively. In addition, China and the United States may also cooperate on issues such as climate change, North Korea, the Iranian nuclear issue, counterterrorism, and the Middle East.

China-US high-level dialogue leads China-US relations

After the new administration in the U.S. came to power, China and the United States made a series of high-level calls. These U.S.-China diplomatic calls were constructive, which on the one hand demonstrated the feasibility of the bottoming out of U.S.-China relations, and on the other hand, indicated the return of American Democratic diplomacy.

(1) Yang Jiechi and Blinken talked on the phone. On February 6th, Yang Jiechi, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and the Director of the Office of the Central Committee for Foreign Affairs, had a telephone conversation with the U.S. Secretary of State Blinken at an appointment. Yang Jiechi said that China-U.S. relations were currently at a critical juncture, and the Chinese government's foreign policy towards the United States had always maintained a high degree of stability and continuity. China urges the U.S. to correct the mistakes made over a period of time and work with China to uphold the spirit of non-conflict, non-confrontation, mutual respect, and win-win cooperation; China believes that the two sides should focus on cooperation, manage differences, and promote the healthy and stable development of China-U.S. relations. Blinken said that U.S.-China relations were very important to both countries and the world. The U.S. is willing to develop stable and constructive bilateral relations with China. Blinken reiterated that the United States would continue to pursue the one-China policy and abide by the three U.S.-China joint communiqués. This policy position will remain unchanged.

(2) The phone call between Xi Jinping and Biden. On the morning of Chinese New Year's Eve on February 11th, Chinese President Xi Jinping had a phone conversation with US President Biden. The two heads of state blessed each other on the Chinese New Year of the Ox and exchanged in-depth views on bilateral relations and major international and regional issues. Xi Jinping pointed out that cooperation between China and the United States would benefit both, while struggle would hurt both, and cooperation would be the only correct choice for both parties. China and the United States will have different views on some issues. The key is to respect each other, treat each other as equals, and properly manage and handle them in a constructive manner. The diplomatic departments of the two countries can have in-depth communication on a wide range of issues in bilateral relations and major international and regional issues. The economic, financial, law enforcement, and military departments of the two countries can also have more contacts. China and the United States should re-establish various dialogue mechanisms in order to accurately understand each other’s policy intentions and avoid misunderstanding and misjudgment. Biden said that China is a country with a long history and great civilization, and the Chinese people are great people. The United States and China should avoid conflicts and can cooperate in a wide range of fields such as climate change. The U.S. is willing to conduct frank and constructive dialogues with China in the spirit of mutual respect, to enhance mutual understanding and avoid misunderstanding and misjudgment.

The phone call between the heads of state of China and the United States will send a positive signal to the world, and both sides agree to maintain close contact on U.S.-China relations and issues of common concern. The relaxation of U.S.-China relations has also brought some positive factors to the relations between China and the Gulf countries.

China's relations with the Gulf countries

The Biden administration has implemented new energy and climate policies, strengthened environmental protection policies and supervision, and reduced energy production in the United States, which is conducive to raising international oil prices and boosting the economies of oil-producing countries in the Middle East. It is also conducive to the improvement of relations between China and the Gulf countries.

The Gulf is located at the intersection of the “Belt and Road”, and Arab countries are natural partners in the joint construction of the “Belt and Road” initiative. In recent years, the Arab and China have always supported each other on issues involving each other’s core interests and major concerns, continuously strengthened cooperation, and promoted regional stability and common development. Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic, China and the Gulf countries have stayed in the same boat and helped each other, which is a vivid portrayal of the shared destiny of China and the Arab. Cooperation between the two sides in fighting the epidemic has injected new connotations into the China-Arab community of shared future, making the foundation of China-Arab strategic partnership stronger and the prospects for cooperation brighter. China has been actively participating in regional affairs for a long time, committed to promoting the relaxation of the regional situation and bridging differences, continuously deepening mutually beneficial cooperation with Arab countries in the region, and helping the region consolidate the foundation for development and stability. Not long ago, China proposed to build a multilateral dialogue platform in the Gulf region under the premise of safeguarding the comprehensive agreement on the Iranian nuclear issue. This has created new drive for easing tensions, striving to form a new consensus on maintaining regional peace and stability.