While Biden needs to stabilise ties with China in the face of a tough re-election race and diplomatic troubles, Beijing is also struggling to deal with woes at home.
US national security adviser Jake Sullivan and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi tackle Taiwan and the Middle East in discussions in Bangkok, and pave the way for a call between Xi Jinping and Joe Biden in ‘coming months’.
6-day trip by the veteran party diplomat to coincide with the Taiwan election was a ‘smart move’ by Beijing, observers say.
Although Beijing remains committed to its partnership with Russia, the fact that Washington is the main focus highlights the limits of that relationship.
Foreign Minister Wang Yi says Beijing has led the way in development and holds moral appeal under Xi Jinping but observers contend that centralisation of power leaves diplomats with little room to move.
Taiwan is increasingly an international issue and the election outcome may reshape its future ties with the world.
Recent speeches by Chinese leaders are infused with symbolism, but decoding them is key to understanding Beijing’s world view.
Liu’s 18 months as head of the international department marked by overseas visits and a willingness to weigh in on global affairs.
‘We will create a more favourable international environment and provide more solid strategic support for building China into a great modern socialist country,’ Chinese president says after two-day Central Conference on Foreign Affairs Work.
Tokyo’s military build-up, which is clearly aimed at Beijing, has been largely welcomed by Indo-Pacific neighbours. Meanwhile, China has responded with restraint as it tries to strengthen ties with Asian countries amid rivalry with US and allies.
‘One thing is certain: Taiwan independence means war, and insisting on Taiwan independence’ will lead to war sooner or later,’ says Wang Zaixi, former deputy director of the Taiwan Affairs Office.
Authorities in some of the country’s biggest provinces appeal for donations as stocks start to run short.
Beijing’s climate chief has denied that the country is blocking talks about whether to commit to ‘phasing out’ fossil fuel use.
Chinese president will ‘seek reassurance’ and closer ties with Hanoi after it upgraded relations with Washington and Tokyo, observers say. But Vietnam is expected to continue its hedging strategy, looking to China for more economic cooperation while inching closer to the US.
Kissinger was often the first port of call for Chinese envoys visiting the United States but the unanticipated election of Donald Trump in 2016 suggested that China’s observers were out of touch.
Xi Jinping tells Fumio Kishida both sides should ‘properly handle differences’ as they meet on the Apec sidelines.
Both sides came away from the summit in California with some gains, but one analyst warned that ‘both countries are much closer to a real crisis than many people think’
Xi Jinping arrives in California for bilateral talks with President Joe Biden, a meeting with US business executives and attendance at the Apec summit.
Climate alignment ‘very important’ despite lack of breakthroughs, observer says, given the ‘challenging political situation’ between the rival powers.
While US president remains critical of Beijing, his recent comments suggest the two sides can still find common ground.
Working meetings on disputed waterways, arms control and financial governance among the forerunners to summit between presidents.
Beijing has refused to accept that its attempts to project power are creating the sources of its own predicament.
Negotiations on border dispute and diplomatic ties moved forward when Bhutan’s top diplomat visited Beijing. The small Himalayan kingdom is sandwiched between two Asian giants competing for influence.
Chinese and Bhutanese officials wrap up new round of border talks and agree to work towards formal diplomatic relations, signalling thaw in ties that analysts say could be a setback for New Delhi’s security efforts in the Himalayas.
Observers say the response from Beijing so far has been measured, while Washington ‘has become increasingly pragmatic’.
President Vladimir Putin’s Beijing visit comes days after US report warned of war risks posed by ‘ultimate coordination’ between Russia and China.
Chinese ambassador Xing Haiming builds on leadership talks between Seoul and Beijing with call to ‘meet each other halfway’.
Both sides need to proceed with caution on the matter, so that efforts to set up a Xi-Biden summit in the US are not scuttled, observers say.
Chinese leader may travel to San Francisco for the Apec summit and to Dubai for the UN climate talks.
Can Beijing mend fences with its neighbours in Northeast Asia as host of the region’s sporting spectacular?
