Beijing is closely monitoring the progress of the bilateral summit between the US and Russia in Alaska. Experts predict that the short-term moderation between the US and China will eventually be fundamentally challenged, whether in terms of situation or policy.
US President Trump and Russian President Putin held a historic meeting on Friday (August 15) at the Anchorage Air Force Base, with the theme of exploring peace and the meeting lasting about three hours.
At a joint press conference, Trump said, “The meeting was very productive. We reached agreement on many aspects, most of which I would say there are a few important issues on which we have not fully reached agreement yet, but we have made some progress.”
Putin expressed hope that the meeting could be a starting point for resolving the conflict in Ukraine and restoring relations between Russia and the US.
“I expect today’s agreements to not only serve as a reference point for resolving the issue of Ukraine but also to open up practical commercial relations between Russia and the US,” Putin said.
The White House stated before the meeting that it was a “listening exercise.” Trump said that he would not reach any agreements or make any concessions during the meeting with Putin.
After the meeting, Trump spoke with European leaders and Ukrainian President Zelensky. He hoped that Zelensky and Putin could meet in person in the next step. Zelensky is scheduled to visit the White House and meet with President Trump on Monday.
Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovilė Šakalienė, during her visit to Washington DC this week, said in an interview with Fox News Digital Channel, “As Beijing has always been a supporter and promoter of Russia, they will certainly closely monitor the negotiations on the Ukraine issue.”
US political commentator and China hawk Zhang Jiadun posted on social media, “Putin obviously went to Anchorage to buy time, so now the Trump administration should know what to do: impose the most severe sanctions on Russia and all countries dealing with Russia, especially (communist) China and North Korea. That’s right, not giving money to Russia means no war in Ukraine.”
Experts warn that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is exploiting suspicions among countries about the US-Russia summit, amplifying the message that the US values trade with Russia over deterrence, trying to profit from it.
Craig Singleton, Senior Director and Senior Researcher of the China Project at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said in a statement to Fox Digital News, “Beijing will interpret any loose agreements as an opportunity to increase pressure on Taiwan.”
“China will use these suspicions to amplify the discourse of ‘trade over deterrence’ and explore coordination gaps from Japan and South Korea to the Philippines,” Singleton added.
China’s military parade is scheduled for two weeks later (September 3), with Putin expected to attend.
Scott Kennedy, Senior Advisor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and Director of the China Business and Economics Program, wrote in The Times that both the US and China are currently inclined to remain calm as it aligns with their short-term interests. However, deep economic disagreements, potential conflicts on Taiwan and other hotspots, and differing views on the international order pose fundamental challenges that can only be masked for a period.
“Beijing may at some point run out of luck, either making enough concessions in negotiations or exerting undue force and failing to reach a ‘TACO’ (Tough and Competent), ultimately leading to a long discourse by Trump or an overreaction to policy,” he wrote. “Trump’s unpredictability makes any linear deduction of US policy or strategy by Beijing a risky gamble.”
He suggested that at some point, whether due to policy or circumstances, the US’s current moderate attitude towards Beijing may eventually become tougher, opening a new chapter.