China’s new ambassador to the US, Xie Feng, warned of “serious difficulties” in relations upon his arrival in New York City yesterday.
“We hope that the United States will work together with China to increase dialogue, to manage differences and also to expand our cooperation so that our relationship will be back to the right track,” Xie said after landing in the Western powerhouse.
Xie added that he aims to strengthen US-China relations amid these difficulties. The new diplomat went on to say that he is looking forward to “properly handling sensitive and important issues, like the Taiwan question,” and meeting with Americans “from all walks of life.”
Referring to his previous stint of working as a diplomat in the US over a decade ago, Xie said that the world and the US have changed a lot.
I’m greatly honored to be appointed by President Xi Jinping as the 12th Chinese Ambassador to the US. As a representative of the Chinese people, I’ll safeguard China’s interests, my sacred duty. As their envoy, I’ll enhance China-US exchanges & cooperation, my important mission. pic.twitter.com/3lgcTfLWkU
— Xie Feng 谢锋 (@AmbXieFeng) May 23, 2023
US Response
Meanwhile, the US said of China’s new ambassador that he is “a professional” and “very capable.”
“We’ve known him for many, many years. I think he’s been working at the MFA for more than 30 years. And we really know him from his time in Washington. He served multiple tours here, and most recently has been the Vice Foreign Minister overseeing the Americas and other departments as well,” a State Department official told CNN.
“We have seen how professional, how clear he is,” the official added.
In an official welcome greeting, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said at a press briefing that Washington looks forward “to working with the ambassador designate and his team.”
My farewell dinner with Xie Feng, the new PRC Ambassador to the U.S.—our 23rd meeting in 14 months—as we manage the ever-challenging U.S.-China relationship. I look forward to working with him in his new role. pic.twitter.com/f12CFkQYdW
— Ambassador Nicholas Burns (@USAmbChina) May 24, 2023
“We remain committed, as we’ve said on a number of occasions, to maintaining channels of communication with [China] to responsibly manage competition,” Miller said.
Timing
Xie’s arrival to the US as China’s top diplomat comes after relations have been frayed over US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s postponed visit to China earlier this year following a Chinese surveillance balloon being spotted in US airspace.
US President Joe Biden said in Japan last weekend that “everything changed in terms of talking to one another” following the spy balloon incident, but that the cold ties will “begin to thaw very shortly.”