In Anchorage, Alaska, it soon became clear last month that Chinese President Xi Jinping’s diplomatic envoys had not come with olive branches. Instead, they brought a new world view.
As Biden government officials expected during their first meeting with Chinese counterparts, Yang Jiechi, Mr. Xi’s chief assistant, and Secretary of State Wang Yiask, asked them to reverse Trump-era policies against China . Beijing wanted to restore the kind of recurring “dialogue” that Washington sees as a waste of time, say US and Chinese officials aware of the Alaska meeting.
Mr. Yang also gave a surprise: a 16-minute lecture on America’s racial problems and democratic shortcomings. The goal, Chinese officials say, was to make it clear that Beijing sees itself as an equal to the US. He also warned Washington against challenging China over a mission that Beijing considers sacred – its eventual reunification with Taiwan.
That’s a big shift for Chinese leaders, who for decades have been careful not to challenge the US as a world leader, following Deng Xiaoping’s statement decades ago, “Stay low and wait.” Some senior Chinese officials made private – often sarcastic – calls to the US. Lao Daor Big Boss.
Now Mr. Xi is reshaping the relationship. As far as he is concerned, the time has come for China.