Channels of communication between China and the U.S. have hardly been affected by U.S. President Trump’s controversial remarks, even though the method of communication has changed from what it was under the Obama administration, experts said.
“Different governmental sectors from both sides established communication channels under Obama’s leadership. Though Trump has not abandoned these channels, the most [effective] communicative approach is direct contact with Trump himself and those high-ranking officials he trusts,” Li Haidong, a professor at China Foreign Affairs University, told Thepaper.cn.
Li’s remarks come after Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi’s phone call with U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Feb. 21, during which Yang urged pragmatic cooperation between the two nations.
High-level contact between China and the U.S. has been frequent in February, ever since Trump sent a letter to Chinese President Xi Jinping on Feb. 8, extending his greetings ahead of the Lantern Festival. In the intervening weeks, several high-ranking officials from both sides have met and arranged phone calls, including Tillerson and Chinese Foreigner Minister Wang Yi.
China and the U.S. should work together to adjust and tailor existing communication channels to the current situation. One determining factor for the development of Sino-U.S. relations is establishing better communication so that misunderstandings and miscalculation can be avoided, said Yuan Peng, vice director of the Chinese Institute of Contemporary International Relations.
Source: people.cn