U.S.-China Diplomacy Protects American Interests
April 2024
“The United States has a long history of successfully managing complicated, consequential relationships through diplomacy. It’s the responsibility of both countries to find a path forward – and it’s in both our interests, and the interests of the world, that we do so.” (Secretary of State Blinken)
The American people are clear that they want an approach to the U.S.-China relationship that is smart, firm, and diplomatic. This approach must balance protecting the country from potential threats like espionage and the spread of fentanyl while avoiding confrontation that can escalate to conflict.
Dialogue with competitors is essential to safeguarding American interests and we cannot let critics play politics with this important lifeline.
Diplomacy Is A Fundamental Foreign Policy Tool
Diplomacy is a vital element of managing the world’s most important relationships. Diplomacy is not a give-away, but an essential tool to tackle the hardest issues we face.
Engaging and deterring the Chinese government is not an either-or approach. In fact, effective deterrence often requires direct communication about potential costs and repercussions in order to avoid misinterpretations or missteps.
Experts Across All Policy Sides Agree
Regardless of party affiliation, there is consensus that diplomacy is necessary to solve our toughest problems. Take former Secretary of State George Shultz for example, who previously said, “Even our adversaries will have to regain the trust that we can work together to manage global threats to humanity’s very existence even when we disagree on other issues.”
Few have summarized the important role of diplomacy more clearly and concisely than former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis: “If you don’t fully fund the State Department, then I need to buy more ammunition.”
Biden Engages in Diplomacy To Prevent Conflict
Biden is deeply committed to preventing conflict, and has communicated that to Xi directly. During their hours-long meeting in November 2023, Biden told Xi: “I think it’s paramount that you and I understand each other clearly, leader-to-leader, with no misconceptions or miscommunications. We have to ensure competition does not veer into conflict.”
While U.S.-China relations were severely strained at the beginning of 2023 following the spy balloon incident, Biden successfully reopened communication between the two countries’ militaries. His achievement took months of diplomatic engagement at the highest levels of government. Ahead of the November meeting, “both sides agreed to reestablish military-to-military channels to bolster transparency and avoid potentially dangerous miscalculations.”
Only after the dire Cuban missile crisis did the U.S. and Soviet Union formalize agreements to scale back the dangers of nuclear weapons. With China, we must maintain direct communication channels and strong guardrails to avoid reaching the brink of another serious crisis.
Protecting Americans from Fentanyl Through Diplomacy
When it comes to the U.S.-China relationship, policies that prevent fentanyl from entering the country are among American voters’ top priorities.
For years, bilateral cooperation on counternarcotics efforts had lapsed between the U.S. and China – but thanks to the Biden-Harris administration’s emphasis on diplomacy, significant progress is being made.
After months of dogged diplomacy with China, in November 2023 President Biden and President Xi announced a series of concrete steps that China is taking to prevent the import of illicit fentanyl and its precursors.
Specifically, China is now taking law enforcement action against illicit precursor suppliers, has issued a notice to industry warning Chinese companies against illicit trade in precursor chemicals and pill presses equipment, and has committed to restart key law enforcement cooperation.
Building Strong Alliances to Protect Peace
Biden inked a historic security partnership for the Indo-Pacific region between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States. AUKUS will develop and provide joint advanced military capabilities to promote security and stability in the region. The trilateral agreement relies on diplomatic, security, and defense cooperation between the three allies to serve as a counterbalance to China’s ambitions in the Indo-Pacific.
Biden also bolstered the Quad, another critical partnership between Australia, India, Japan, and the United States, that will support a free and open Indo-Pacific. The Biden administration has reinvigorated the partnership in recent years, which has waxed and waned since its creation in 2004. The Quad leaders recently reaffirmed their steadfast commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific that is inclusive and resilient.
APPENDIX
Key Quotes
Secretary of State Antony Blinken
“Direct engagement and sustained communication at senior levels is the best way to responsibly manage our differences and ensure that competition does not veer into conflict.” (June 2023)
“The United States has a long history of successfully managing complicated, consequential relationships through diplomacy. It’s the responsibility of both countries to find a path forward – and it’s in both our interests, and the interests of the world, that we do so.” (June 2023)
“We can’t let the disagreements that divide us stop us from moving forward on the priorities that demand that we work together, for the good of our people and for the good of the world.” (May 2022)
“There’s no reason why our great nations cannot coexist peacefully…and contribute to human progress together. That’s what everything I’ve said today boils down to: advancing human progress, leaving to our children a world that’s more peaceful, more prosperous, and more free.” (May 2022)
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen
“President Biden and I do not see the relationship between the U.S. and China through the frame of great power conflict — we believe that the world is big enough for both of our countries to thrive.” (July 2023)
“Even where we don’t see eye-to-eye, I believe there is clear value in the frank and in-depth discussions we had on the opportunities and challenges in our relationship, and the better understanding it gave us of each country’s actions and intentions.” (July 2023)
Kurt Campbell, Deputy Secretary of State
“Intense competition requires intense diplomacy if we’re going to manage tensions. That is the only way to clear up misperceptions…to communicate and to work together where and when our interests align.” (June 2023)
“We have an interest in setting up crisis communication mechanisms to reduce conflict risk. The world expects us to work together on climate, health security, global macroeconomic stability, and other challenges.” (June 2023)
Representative Gregory Meeks (D-NY), Ranking Member of House Foreign Affairs Committee
“As Republicans criticize our chief diplomat for engaging in diplomacy with China, they are simultaneously tying our hands behind our back in the strategic competition with China…Within a week of House Republicans holding a hearing on countering the Belt and Road Initiative, they also unveiled a budget proposal that, rather than turning up the pressure on China, would effectively roll out the red carpet for the BRI around the world. The measure proposed a steep cut—30 percent—to our State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs budget.” (June 2023)
“Communication—along with robust funding and support for the United States’ most crucial levers of soft power—is essential if we are to prevent an avoidable and devastating great-power war, which is a goal we should all share and work to promote.” (June 2023)
Representative Andy Kim (D-NJ)
“I've seen way too many circumstances in my time in national security where just an incident or an accident or a misunderstanding can completely flare up and get out of control.” (June 2023)
Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo
“...I am convinced that we can cooperate with China, as this administration has shown ….That’s a fantastic thing, I believe, for the United States. We’d welcome more of it.” (January 2020)
Former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley
“We will work with China. We will work with any and every country that believes in peace.” (June 2017)
Senator Rand Paul (R-KY)
“All throughout the Cold War, we tried to have diplomacy with Russia. We should continue to have diplomacy with China…there’s a lot of discussions and ongoing diplomacy that needs to occur… So I actually wish Blinken well, and I’m glad he’s making the trip.” (June 2023)
Senator Mike Rounds (R-SD)
“The Chinese Communist Party may have different points of view about how to get there. We want to make clear our positions, but we also want them to understand that you would much rather have peace than to have conflict. I am always hopeful that communications and diplomacy can win out. Time will tell whether or not we had a successful meeting. But it's good that we're talking.” (November 2022)
Related Articles
Washington and Beijing are talking again. Good. (Washington Post Editorial Board)
Anti-China Rhetoric Distracts Washington—and Boosts Beijing (Rep. Gregory Meeks in Foreign Policy)
Some see the U.S.-China rivalry as an 'existential struggle.' Rep. Andy Kim disagrees (NPR)
How to Avoid a War with China (New York Times)
Biden’s course correction on China is smart and important (Washington Post)
The U.S. and China are rivals — but can talk like adults (Washington Post)
U.S.-China Diplomacy During Trump Administration
Trump’s team knew how important it was for the United States to engage with China, even though Trump regularly undermined these efforts with his erratic and counterproductive rhetoric.
In February 2017, Jared Kushner and National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster met with Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi in February 2017 and affirmed their commitment to a “constructive bilateral relationship.”
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson visited Beijing in March 2017 and described the U.S.-China relationship as one “built on nonconfrontation, no conflict, mutual respect, and always searching for win-win solutions.”
Trump hosted Xi Jinping in April 2017 at Mar-a-Lago and touted “tremendous progress,” a deeper understanding, and more trust-building.
In November 2017, Trump traveled to China for an official state visit, where he and Xi held several conversations about U.S.-China relations, and affirmed that the relationship is shaped by shared interests.
In October 2018, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met with Chinese officials in Beijing to discuss “fundamental disagreements.”
In 2018, while attending the G-20 summit, Trump and Xi met during a working dinner with officials from both countries. Trump said the meeting was “highly successful.”
During the 2019 G-20 Summit, Trump also met with Xi, describing the meeting as positive by claiming, “We are right back on track,” after both countries agreed to hold off imposing new tariffs.
The United States and China signed a trade deal in January 2020 at the White House, which Trump claimed would "lead to an even stronger world peace”.
In June 2020, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met with his Chinese counterpart. Pompeo called for “full transparency and information sharing” to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.