John Kerry in China to stabilise rocky relations

US climate envoy John Kerry with Chinese Premier Li Qiang in Beijing. Pic/AP

US climate envoy John Kerry told China's top diplomat on Tuesday that President Joe Biden's administration is "very committed" to stabilizing relations between the world's two biggest economies, as the countries seek to restart high-level contacts.

On his second day of talks in Beijing, Kerry met with the ruling Communist Party's head of foreign relations Wang Yi, telling him Biden hoped the two countries could "achieve efforts together that can make a significant difference to the world".

Ties between the countries have hit a historic low amid disputes over tariffs, access to technology, human rights and China's threats against self-governing Taiwan. In his opening remarks, Wang said the sides had suffered from a lack of communication, but that China believes through renewed dialogue "we can find a proper solution to problems."

"Sometimes, small problems can become big problems," Wang said, adding that dialogue must be on "equal basis". That was an apparent reference to US criticism of China's aggressive foreign policy, rights abuses against Muslim and Buddhist minorities and travel sanctions against officials ranging from the Beijing-appointed leader of Hong Kong to the country's defence minister.

China broke off some mid- and high-level contacts with the Biden administration last August over climate issues and to show its anger with the then-US House Speaker's trip to Taiwan. China claims the island as its own territory to be brought under its control.

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