U.S., China Talks Show Stability, Not Standoff

Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to the White House on Thursday may seem like just another in a long line of general diplomatic meetings where much is discussed but little is resolved​​​​​​​​​​​. But behind closed doors the Obama administration has built a stable diplomatic relationship with China that shows no signs of collapsing, experts say, even as the discussion between the two superpowers becomes increasingly blunt.

“They increasingly accept the table is a venue for us in a constructive way to air our grievances – trust me, they give as good as they get,” Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Russel tells U.S. News. “We do not merely agree to disagree.”

Russel, who is a former special assistant to the president and the National Security Council's senior director for Asian Affairs, has attended many of the top diplomatic meetings with Chinese officials, including during Secretary of State John Kerry’s visit to China last year. He says “the Chinese often don’t like what they hear” when U.S. diplomats raise concerns on sensitive issues, like the current accusations of China sponsoring hackers and online espionage.

“Some of the problem areas we go over again, and again, and again,” he says. “But these are important problem sets and we are not giving up. On other sets there is a sign that there is an evolution in Chinese thinking, and we have made real progress.”

Recent partnership between China and the U.S. includes efforts to fight the outbreak of Ebola in Africa and to arrange a multinational deal to limit Iran’s nuclear program. The Obama administration views its relationship with China as “the most consequential bilateral relationship in the world,” Ben Rhodes, deputy national security adviser for strategic communications said during a press call on Tuesday. ​

Xi’s goal for this trip is a “performance of power to be projected back to China” showing that he is respected by America, says Daly, who is currently the d

Obama faces increasing pressure -- particularly from Republicans -- to project more strength towards China, which has refused U.S. demands to extradite indicted hackers and has tested the territorial rights of American allies like Japan and Vietnam in the East and South China seas by building artificial islands in the area .

Still, the U.S.-China relationship is strong enough that discussing such sensitive topics will not drive China away the table, both Daly and Russel say. In a call with reporters, Rhodes stressed that certain sensitive topics -- like cybersecurity, trade and human rights --  would definitely be up for discussion. 

"We are increasingly hearing concerns about activities that the Chinese have been engaged in, so we want to make very clear this puts at risk China's ability to continue on its growth if businesses don't have confidence they won't be subjected to cyber theft," Rhodes said.