China says yes—slowing economy and upcoming US elections means it’s the last chance

Edward Wong, Keith Bradsher and Alan Rappeport, Bradsher is the Pulitzer Prize-winning Beijing bureau chief and Rappeport is an economic policy reporter at The New York Times, “Biden Bets High-Level Diplomacy Can Cool Fiery Relations With China," No Publication, 7-10-2023, https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/10/us/politics/biden-china-diplomacy.html-- 嘉玮

Both the Biden administration and Chinese officials are bracing for domestic U.S. politics to add to strains next year. Republican and Democratic candidates in the 2024 elections are expected to try to outperform one another in hawkish rhetoric on China. U.S. officials say the trips this summer are intended to give the two governments a chance to have frank conversations about the relationship before the political campaigning heats up.

“For the Chinese, this year is the last chance before things presumably turn much more sour next year with the U.S. presidential election,” said Yun Sun, a scholar of China’s foreign policy at the Stimson Center in Washington. “Combined with China’s own economic challenges, especially the sluggish recovery, Beijing has incentives to make amends. Washington does, as well.”