China in talks with US ahead of APEC summit in San Francisco

Beijing — China is willing to play a “constructive” role in the success of the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) summit in San Francisco, its top diplomat said on Tuesday, after President Xi Jinping’s absence at the annual Group of 20 summit in India.

“As the world’s largest developing country and an important member of APEC, China is willing to comply with the expectations of the international community and play a constructive role in the success of APEC this year,” said Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi.

Xi, with no official explanation, did not go to the G20 summit in New Delhi this month, with the Chinese premier, Li Qiang, attending in his place. That prompted the US to say China was “giving up” on the G20 and was building an alternative world order.

“Of course, we and all parties hope that the US will recognise its responsibility as the host, demonstrate openness, fairness, inclusiveness and responsibility, and create better conditions for the smooth holding of the meeting,” Wang said at a news conference, when asked whether Xi would attend APEC.

China is in communication with the relevant parties, and will make an announcement in due time, Wang added.

Dialogue between China and the US has been gradually resuming despite tensions between the two superpowers, especially over Taiwan. Expectations are building that Xi would meet Biden on the sidelines of APEC on November 12-18, after missing a chance for a face-to-face meeting at G20 in India.

Xi, who secured a precedent-breaking third term as leader last October, has made few overseas trips this year. He attended a  Brics group of major emerging economies — Brazil, Russia, India, China and SA — in SA.

At the same news conference, Wang said, without naming any country, that China opposed “wanton” expansion of military alliances that squeeze the security space of other countries.

Beijing has been critical of Washington’s continued attempts to deepen military alliances in the Asia-Pacific region. It has particularly disapproved of bases that the US military is building in the north of the Philippines facing democratically governed Taiwan, which China claims as part of its territory.

China has long advocated partnerships rather than alliances, and is not part of any military bloc. Its sole remaining ally after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 is North Korea, to which China is bound by a 1961 treaty to come to its defence if it is attacked.

Reuters