U.S. Officials Emphasize the Importance of ‘Cold War’-Era Crisis Mechanisms with China

A senior White House official stated on Thursday that attempts to improve U.S.-China relations have not yet been successful, and the next few months will determine whether constructive diplomacy can be re-established with Beijing.

The official emphasized the importance of having crisis mechanisms and “Cold War”-era hotlines to maintain communication between the two countries. Despite heightened tensions over Taiwan, the U.S. remains ready to have another call between President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping. However, the Chinese have been reluctant to engage in discussions around confidence-building or crisis communications.

The U.S. is in the early stages of a new phase of competitive relations with China, and efforts to build a foundation and guardrails for the relationship have yet to be successful.

The U.S. is increasing its focus on the Indo-Pacific region and plans to play a more significant economic and commercial role in addition to its security, diplomatic, and political role. The U.S. aims to strengthen its relationship with India, and more Indian students are expected to attend American universities, while more Americans will study in Indian colleges.

The U.S. has an “ambitious agenda” for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum summit in November, and President Biden will unveil measures to address U.S. determination to play a more vibrant economic and commercial role in the region.