US ‘Guardrails’ With China Are Shaky at Best
Biden and Xi are starting off 2023 with talk of cooperating and easing tensions, but neither is going to give in on the core disagreements around Taiwan, tech and trade.
Bali buddies.
Photographer: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images
For much of 2022 , America and China looked to be barreling toward conflict. As 2023 begins, there is a new atmosphere in the relationship. Diplomatic contacts are flourishing. US and Chinese officials are touting the search for “guardrails” on their competition. Both sides are saying that they want stability, not confrontation.
It’s a welcome change, but it won’t last. Neither side is budging on its key interests. All the major disputes remain. Domestic politics are also poised to play a spoiling role. The return of sharper tensions is a matter of time.