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On March 22, 2023, a delegation led by Rick Waters, China Coordinator and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State of the United States, visited the Shanghai Institute of International Studies. WeChat official account @ Shanghai Institute of International Studies During this visit to China, Hua Ziqiang had exchanges with scholars in Beijing, Shanghai and other places. According to the information on the Shanghai Institute of International Studies WeChat official account, on March 22, Hua Ziqiang and his delegation visited the Shanghai Institute of International Studies. They had talks and exchanges with Chen Dongxiao, president of the Institute, and Yang Jiemian, director of the Academic Advisory Committee. The two sides exchanged in-depth views on "Sino US relations and other issues". In Beijing, Hua Ziqiang was invited to visit the Chahar Society on March 25, and held a closed luncheon with experts and scholars from the Society to exchange views on Sino US relations and the regional situation. Han Fangming, President of the Chahar Society, met alone with the delegation led by Hua Ziqiang before lunch.

Pengpai News reporter learned that during this trip, China Ziqiang also met with other Chinese people, but did not see public information. Currently, the more itinerary and details of China Ziqiang's visit are unclear, but this is the first time a senior US diplomat has visited China since December last year. From December 11 to 12 last year, Vice Foreign Minister Xie Feng held talks in Langfang, Hebei Province, with visiting Assistant Secretary of State for Asia Pacific Affairs Conda of the United States Department of State and Senior Director of China Affairs at the White House National Security Council Rosenberg. According to the statement of the US State Department at that time, Kangda and Rosenberg's visit was based on the Bali meeting of US and Chinese leaders, and prepared for Antony Blinken's visit to China scheduled for early 2023.

However, after the "unmanned airship incident" at the beginning of February, senior officials of the US State Department said in a telephone briefing that Antony Blinken had decided to postpone his visit to China due to the incident of Chinese unmanned airships entering US airspace. China also emphasizes that neither China nor the United States has announced any visits, and that the release of relevant information by the United States is a matter for the United States itself.

It is worth mentioning that before China Ziqiang's visit to China, the United States has released information that senior government officials may visit China or look forward to communication. The White House said on March 20th that Washington and Beijing are discussing possible visits to China by U.S. Treasury Secretary Yellen and Commerce Secretary Raymond. In addition, US National Security Advisor Sullivan also stated on March 13 that he expected Biden and Chinese leaders to call in the future.

In response, Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin previously stated that the value and significance of communication lies in enhancing understanding, managing differences, and not communicating for the sake of communication. "The United States should show sincerity, work with the Chinese side towards each other, and take practical actions to push China US relations back on track."

The US State Department establishes a "China Group" to coordinate its policy towards China

In addition to serving as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State of the United States Department of State, China's self-improvement during this visit to China also has a noteworthy identity - in charge of the newly established "Office of China Coordination" (also known as the "China Group", China House) of the United States Department of State. In fact, after the Bali meeting between Chinese and American leaders last November, the US State Department officially established the "China Group" on December 16 of that year, which was chaired by Antony Blinken himself.

The Spokesperson's Office of the US State Department said in a statement that the "China Group" is an important part of Antony Blinken's modernization agenda, which focuses on enabling the US State Department to meet challenges and seize opportunities in the next decade. The launch of the "China Group" aims to ensure that the US government can "responsibly" manage competition with China and provide talent, tools, and resources for the successful implementation of US policies and strategies towards China.

According to public information, the "China Group" consists of about 60 to 70 people, and is headed by Hua Ziqiang. It reports daily to Wendy Sherman, Executive Deputy Secretary of State of the United States, and Conda, Assistant Secretary of State for Asia Pacific Affairs of the United States Department of State. According to CNN, the "China Group" will expand the number of diplomats who pay attention to China, and there will also be American government personnel from other departments working in turn in the "China Group", making it a cross sectoral action.

State Department officials have previously stated that the "China Group" replaces the China Affairs Department within the framework of the East Asia and Pacific Affairs Office of the State Department. Although both institutions are under the control of China Ziqiang, according to experts and media analysis, this restructuring has made them more hierarchical than the previous structure and become the task organizing unit of the United States State Department's cross agency, demonstrating the determination of the United States government to integrate diplomatic resources and increase attention to China.

It should be noted that before the establishment of the "China Group" by the United States State Department, the Pentagon and the Central Intelligence Agency have also successively established departments specifically targeting China in the past two years. In March 2021, the "China Working Group" established by US Secretary of Defense Austin began to operate. In October of that year, CIA Director Burns announced that he would establish a "China Mission Center" that would radiate all CIA mission areas.

During the first session of the 14th National People's Congress, Foreign Minister Qin Gang pointed out when talking about Sino US relations that there has been a serious deviation in the United States' perception and positioning of China, treating China as the most important opponent and the greatest geopolitical challenge, leading to a complete departure of the United States policy towards China from the rational and healthy track.

"The so-called 'competition' on the US side is an all-round containment and suppression, a zero sum game in which everyone is killed." Qin Gang emphasized at the time that such competition is a gamble wagered on the fundamental interests of the two peoples and even the future and destiny of mankind, and China firmly opposes it.

On March 25th, Qin Gang also met with visiting American friendly groups and business people in Beijing, stating that China US relations are the most important bilateral relations in the world, and the world benefits from the improvement of China US relations; On the contrary, the world suffers. China's attitude towards the development of healthy, stable, and constructive Sino US relations has not changed, and it has always advocated mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation between China and the United States.

(This article is from the surging news. For more original information, please download the "surging news" app.)

These days, the 2023 annual meeting of the China Development High Level Forum is being held in Beijing. Accompanying this meeting, many senior figures from the US business and academic circles have come to Beijing and other places to interact with various sectors of China.

At the same time, a senior U.S. State Department diplomatic official started his relatively low-key visit to China. According to the reporter of www.thepaper.cn, Rick Waters, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State of the United States, visited Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing and other places in China in the past week to meet and exchange with academics and business people intensively. He is also the head of the newly established "Office of China Coordination" (also known as the "China Group", China House) of the US State Council.

In response, the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong quoted scholars as saying that the trip was part of the "work level communication" between China and the United States. Officials of the US State Department may pave the way for US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to arrange a visit to China through contacts and advice with China.

Visit Beijing and Shanghai think tanks to exchange views on Sino US relations