On September 25, Professor Jia Qingguo was interviewed by China Review News Agency about President Xi Jinping’s US visit, discussing China-US cooperation, Taiwan, AI security and people-to-people exchanges, and noting that both sides seek to avoid major conflict over Taiwan question.
Jia Qingguo, professor at Peking University’s School of International Studies, said in an interview with China Review News Agency on September 25 that the Xi-Trump meeting was part of efforts to advance a relationship of constructive strategic stability between China and the United States. He also said that the two sides have a tacit understanding on the Taiwan question, as neither wants a major conflict to arise between the two countries over the issue.
Jia Qingguo is a professor and doctoral supervisor at the School of International Studies at Peking University. He previously served as dean of the school and currently serves as a member of the Standing Committee of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). He is a famous scholar who has long studied international politics, China-US relations and China’s foreign policy.
Regarding the political significance of President Trump’s high-profile reception of President Xi Jinping, Jia said it was mainly based on several considerations. First, it was a response to the high-level hospitality extended by the Chinese side earlier, while also providing Trump with an opportunity to demonstrate the good personal relationship with President Xi Jinping that he has repeatedly emphasized. Second, Trump attaches importance to China-US relations, recognizes that China has sufficient strength and influence, and believes that cooperation between China and the United States can help address many global issues. Third, Trump hopes to achieve important US objectives through cooperation with China rather than through confrontation that would consume resources. “President Trump’s unprecedentedly high-profile reception of President Xi Jinping was itself of important symbolic significance,” Jia said.
Regarding the impact of the meeting on the US midterm elections, Jia said that although stabilizing China-US relations is important to Trump, the meeting is likely to have a limited impact on US domestic elections because a majority of both Democrats and Republicans generally take a tough stance on China policy.
Jia said the summit focused on promoting the implementation of previous understandings and seeking progress or outcomes in areas including trade and economic relations, artificial intelligence and people-to-people exchanges. In terms of trade and investment mechanisms, the US side hopes that China will purchase aircraft, soybeans and energy products. The two sides are also expected to accelerate the implementation of China-US economic and trade consultation mechanisms, including the establishment of a Trade Council and an Investment Council.
On AI safety and governance, the two sides discussed establishing an AI safety cooperation mechanism, including promptly notifying each other in the event of accidents and jointly responding to risks. The two countries are expected to strengthen consultations in the future, formulate relevant codes of conduct, guard against risks arising from the rapid development of technology, and play a leading role in promoting the establishment of international rules for AI.
On people-to-people exchanges, President Xi has announced that China will invite 100,000 young Americans to visit China for exchange and study programs over the next five years. “The future of China-US relations belongs to the young people of both countries. This move aims to enhance mutual understanding among the younger generations of the two countries and lay a foundation for the long-term development of China-US relations,” Jia said.
The Taiwan question is an issue that is invariably discussed at China-US presidential meetings. President Xi reiterated his hope that the US side would uphold the correct position of opposing “Taiwan independence” and handle the Taiwan question with prudence. Jia believes that the two sides currently have a tacit understanding on this issue and neither wants a major conflict to occur. Although the Trump administration has not substantively changed its longstanding Taiwan policy, it has sought to prevent the Taiwan question from becoming an obstacle to the development of China-US relations by, among other measures, delaying arms sales to Taiwan and restricting visits to the United States by Taiwan’s regional leaders.
Jia believes that the US side may divide a large-scale $14 billion arms sale to Taiwan into smaller batches to ease opposition from China and domestic pressure in the United States. US policy toward Taiwan has never truly shifted to “strategic clarity.” Instead, following the controversy over President Biden’s “gaffes,” the Trump administration has further reinforced the element of “strategic ambiguity” in its Taiwan policy.
Regarding President Xi’s call for the two countries to avoid the “Thucydides Trap,” Jia said this represented a further development of China’s longstanding position. Since China put forward the principles of “no conflict, no confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation” in 2012, China has consistently maintained that China and the United States should and are capable of avoiding the trap and building a relationship of peaceful coexistence and mutual accomplishment. The current goal is to promote stability in bilateral relations and inject constructive substance into the relationship through concrete measures such as economic and trade mechanisms and people-to-people exchanges, thereby laying a foundation for its future development.
“The two heads of state are expected to meet again at the 2026 APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting and the G20 Leaders’ Summit in November and December. This will help maintain the momentum of leader-level engagement and promote the implementation of consensus,” Jia said. “Trust is difficult to establish, but it can be gradually built through successful cooperation in specific areas.”
Subscription
