In the confrontation between the United States and China - an unexpected respite.

At intervals of a few days, the first personal meeting of the defense ministers of the two countries, Lloyd Austin and Wei Fenghe, took place in Singapore, and then talks in Luxembourg, in which Yang Jiechi, a member of the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee, and Jake Sullivan, Assistant to the President of the United States for National Security, took part.

The most surprising thing is not the intensity of communication between the top leadership of the United States and China, unprecedented in modern times, but a slight change in tone and a change in emphasis.

During the first meeting in Singapore, for the most part, everything revolved around the long-suffering Taiwan, while the topic of Russia and Ukraine was not mentioned as the main irritant.

Fulfilling the mandatory program, Lloyd Austin only stated that "we strongly dissuade China from providing material support to Russia related to its war in Ukraine."

To this routine statement, the US Secretary of Defense received the same routine response that China always supports the principle of objectivity and honesty in the Ukrainian issue and makes efforts to promote peace and dialogue.

At the same time, the Chinese minister called the meeting in Singapore "honest and successful", called on the United States for constructive cooperation and a rational assessment of the "process of development and strengthening of the PRC."

“This is the only way you can save Sino-American relations,” Wei Fenghe said pointedly.

Yang Jiechi, a member of the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee, spoke in the same vein when he met with President Biden's aide Jake Sullivan in Luxembourg.

Their previous meeting took place exactly three months ago in Rome, shortly after the start of the Russian special operation in Ukraine.

Then the United States issued an ultimatum to China, threatening to punish it for its unwillingness to curtail cooperation with Moscow.

China refused to do so and soon launched its own diplomatic counteroffensive, demanding that the United States disclose information about their biological laboratories in Ukraine.

The second meeting of Jake Sullivan and Yang Jiechi this year was strikingly different from the first.

Both parties called it "sincere and productive."

The topic of Russia and threats against Beijing for cooperation with Moscow is not mentioned in any way in official statements.

As if there were no such threats at all.

Following the talks, Yang Jiechi recalled the words of President Biden that the United States does not seek to unleash a new cold war.

“China appreciates this.

However, for some time now, the United States has insisted on strengthening containment and pressure on China from all directions,” Yang said.

As an alternative, he called for building relations on the basis of three principles: mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and mutually beneficial cooperation.

For those who are closely following the ups and downs of US-China relations, which only yesterday seemed to be coming to a boiling point due to the escalation over Taiwan and threats to punish China for cooperation with Russia, the meetings and negotiations in Singapore and Luxembourg will be the subject of reflection on , can we talk about a new turn.

Or Washington and Beijing were just like participants in a boxing match consisting of many rounds, who, tired of waving their fists, froze in different corners of the ring to transfer the two, and then straighten their gloves and rush into the fight again.

The point of view of the author may not coincide with the position of the editors.