AMAC Exclusive – By Ben Solis
When President Joe Biden meets with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Wednesday, he will have an opportunity to take a strong stance toward the communist country and use China’s precarious economic condition to pressure Xi into making concessions on trade and other matters up for discussion. But if Biden’s past deference to Beijing is any indication, China will likely once again emerge as the winner of any negotiations.
Biden’s talk with Xi will be the first face-to-face meeting between the two leaders since the G20 summit in Bali last November. Since then, China has ramped up its aggression throughout the world, including repeated incursions of Taiwanese airspace, floating a spy balloon across the U.S. mainland, and dispatching warships to the Middle East following Hamas’s attack on Israel.
Nonetheless, China and Xi may now be at their most vulnerable point in years, even with Xi being elected to an unprecedented third term as president in March. China’s economy is afflicted by slow growth, high youth unemployment, and a struggling property market. A ruthless centralization campaign undertaken by Xi and ruinous COVID-19 lockdown policies are clearly taking a serious toll on both the Chinese economy and the Chinese people’s morale.
The shaky situation has placed Xi in a potentially hazardous position. Even with the current struggles of the American economy, it still appears in 2023 as if China needs the United States more than the United States needs China. This is in large part due to former President Donald Trump’s withering campaign of sanctions and tariffs that had, prior to the pandemic, brought Beijing to the negotiating table and led to a “phase one” trade agreement that extracted major concessions from Xi’s government.
Trump left Biden a prime opportunity to strongarm China into accepting more U.S. demands. But thus far he and his administration have utterly failed to capitalize on Trump’s momentum.
Dr. Jean-Francis Wang, a formerly high-ranking member of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) security apparatus who defected, told this author that although Beijing’s domestic power may be at its lowest point in decades, at least since the 1989 Tiananmen Square Massacre, that makes Xi all the more dangerous, as he is more determined than ever to put on the mask of a strongman and villainize his enemies.
“It’s the usual trick,” Dr. Wang said, explaining that the party’s propaganda arms will be more determined than ever to tarnish the image of the United States worldwide. “America is seen as the villain and China the solution, although the truth is precisely the opposite.”
Dr. Wang also pointed to the CCP’s “diplomacy of whispers and rumors” that have created severe hurdles for U.S. relations with governments in Africa and Latin America. Beijing notably joined with several other nations this year to launch a “BRICS” currency that is intended to directly challenge the Dollar’s supremacy in global trade and finance. China has also meddled in the domestic political affairs of nations like Brazil and Argentina.
The Biden administration’s mismanagement of Trump’s sanctions and tariffs designed to squeeze the CCP is Xi’s greatest advantage right now, Dr. Wang told me. “The CCP launched a full-on attack from the start. They knew Biden is not Trump, he is weak, and it worked even better than they expected.”
Dr. Chen Xingyun, another defector who previously worked for the International Department of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, China’s de facto Foreign Ministry, told this author that the CCP views Biden as a pushover who can easily be pressured into accepting terms favorable to Beijing in any negotiation.
Dr. Chen pointed specifically to an account of the Biden-Xi meeting in Bali last year published by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which states that Biden affirmed, “The United States respects China’s system, and does not seek to change it. The United States does not seek a new Cold War, does not seek to revitalize alliances against China, does not support ‘Taiwan independence,’ does not support ‘two Chinas’ or ‘one China, one Taiwan,’ and has no intention to have a conflict with China. The U.S. side has no intention to seek ‘de-coupling’ from China, to halt China’s economic development, or to contain China.”
Although Biden’s State Department did not confirm the Chinese government’s interpretation of the negotiations, it also did not deny the report. Dr. Chen emphasized that this apparent capitulation to Beijing was particularly alarming when it comes to Taiwan, and created the expectation in China that the U.S. would cease political and military support for the island nation.
Dr. Chen also referenced the history of the Chinese Civil War – which Xi knows well – as a parallel for what could happen today.
During World War II, the warring Nationalist and Communist factions inside China temporarily ceased hostilities in order to fight against Japanese invaders. The leader of the Nationalists, Chiang Ka’i-Shek, led the joint forces and initially enjoyed support from U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
However, frustrations led Roosevelt to eventually limit aid for Chiang, and when the civil war resumed after the Japanese surrender, Chiang retreated to Taiwan. As Dr. Chen explained, Xi could now be hoping that Biden will “do with the pro-independence political leaders in Taiwan what Roosevelt did with Chiang – he empowered him, and he dethroned him.”
While Biden has not yet explicitly said that he is ready to abandon Taiwan, he has unequivocally emboldened Xi Jinping. The world can likely expect more of the same during the meeting between the two leaders this week.
Ben Solis is the pen name of an international affairs journalist, historian, and researcher.
To expect Biden to mismanage his meeting with Xi is to be expected because that’s the norm with this Clown! In 3 years, what hasn’t he screwed up? I have NEVER seen a person screw up everything he touches and it has to be on purpose because he is surrounded by “advisors” and they can’t ALL be as stupid as Joe can they? Yet, because many Republican Party leaders hate Trump they will allow the Democrats to CHEAT and STEAL the NEXT PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION TOO! We the People WILL SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES of their Hate!
The Biden administration knows only how to appease its adversaries and how to capitulate to them on all levels. Thus, this is how the Biden – Xi meeting will play out:
1) Biden will offer sanctions and tariffs relief on as many fronts as his Team Biden, the people actually running the administration, think they can get away with without making it completely obvious they are just surrendering on more fronts to China. No issues that the Chinese view as unacceptable to discuss will be brought up. So the tone and tenor of the meeting is driven by what President Xi wants to discuss and get from the United States.
2) Xi will make some vague, non-specific comments about climate change, fentanyl and perhaps a couple of other issues, while never intending to do anything about any of them once the meeting is over. This is the standard Chinese playbook that has been used since Bill Clinton’s presidency to mollify the United States and the West in general into giving China what it wants, while the United States and the West in general gets little to nothing in return.
3) President Xi will get a photo op and glowing press coverage showing how strong and powerful a leader he is and how China continues to ascend on the global stage, while standing next to our frail and senile POTUS who, along with every member of the Biden administration, is content to hand China whatever it wants from us.
Thus, the meeting will simply reinforce the view of the rest of the world that the Biden administration is extremely weak and feckless. Which in turn will continue to drive other nations of the world into the open and waiting arms of China. On the domestic front, the MSM and other Democrat politicians will tout the meeting as proof Biden is a strong leader and should get a second term to “finish the job”. Democrat voters will of course robotically lap it up and continue to follow the Democrat Party as it takes the country over the edge. So just another day of “business as usual” for the Biden administration. Are we having fun yet?
First, thanks to AMAC for allowing Dr Chen Xingyun to speak.
I remember his ground-breaking full-page article in a French newspaper (was it Le Figaro? I am not sure) after he defected in the late 1980s. He tried to warn the West that the climate for fundamental changes in China was incomparable to anything that happened in the half-century. He was correct. We saw student’s peaceful protests in Tiananmen whom we betrayed. More precisely, the George H.W. Bush administration left them to be crashed by Chicoms tanks. After that, if I am correct, Dr Chen spoke once more on BBC, saying that we will not see such a wave of changes soon. Since then, I have not heard from him. It is so great that he commented on this White House’s approach. Americans should closely listen to him and the other gentleman.
Now, we know, Biden did what these noble and courageous people cautiously predicted.
I appreciate this article very much. It is of superb quality.
This article’s quality beats most of the analysis I read in the other media. I am an avid reader who does not miss anything that looks serious in most printed traditional newspapers. It is a great pleasure to learn the thoughts of these two respected, albeit unfortunately, forgotten defectors. I agree with them that the current Administration does not understand the CCP’s tactics or realize its ultimate goal. But I am afraid many Americans lack knowledge of totalitarian regimes.
Biden might have won some kind of interim period. For some time, everything will appear peaceful, although the network intrusion and theft will continue, but after that, confrontation will be more brutal. It is when the CCP will regain its strength and decide it is again confident about its economy. Until it rejects its Leninism, Communist China will always be an enemy of the free nations.
Biden couldn’t pressure a tube of toothpaste! Especially when it comes to the CCP, they hold his deed and title after all the money they spent on him they are his proud owners, and have not been afraid to use him; the American people sure haven’t gotten anything out of Biden but misery, and threats, he will be remembered as the Manchurian president.
Biden failed to capitalize on anything in his 50 some years at the government trough. Except to line his pockets.
How is it that Joe Biden still has the best chance among Democrats to oppose the Republican in the next general election? Can’t the Democrats come up with a better candidate?
Is the main requirement for a Democrat Presidential candidate to be a puppet for obama?
Wait, …… I think that I just answered my own question.
Biden doesn’t have the competency of a child.
He should be removed from office!
Asking in all sincerity…as this hurricane grows stronger and stronger how much more can America take?
Joe, who? He is foolish, not well. I just feel sorry for the hard working American taxpayer!
Biden has done nothing but harm He is not going to do anything different now Not in the script
If Biden had any balls, he’d wear a “Winnie the Pooh” shirt when he meets Xi. Oh bother!
Biden’s only question for Xi will be on a prewritten note from Hunter. “How much will you give the Biden Crime Family to let us continue to take over the world?”
you could have stopped and biden fails. it is a constant.
You look at the polling numbers, you realize that the American people have tuned away for the democrats. They don’t care what democrats say anymore. They don’t trust what democrats say anymore. You Leftist propaganda pushing fools have completely lost any control or influence over how Americans reason because most Americans are smart enough to have come to the conclusion that those ideals and references that democrats show are just propaganda and exist to deceive.
Every single ethnic group, age group and religion is walking away from the left. Yeah, Biden and his corrupt administration caused much of it, but the problem for the democrats has been brewing since the corrupt Clinton years. Obama’s corruption and lack of empathy for the American people further eroded support and Bidens new high in corruption put the nail in the coffin.
The most glaring example for minorities was the trumped-up trump charges while at the same time working hard to hide the Biden crimes. If there is one thing minorities know it is a corrupt legal system and the democrats have built a stunning example of that with their corruption.
leftists can give up on their comments swaying anyone. the American people know you are nothing but deceit and liars. Support for democrats by blacks in down to 47%. that means they know democrats are the KKK. Democrat support among American citizens who are Hispanic has dropped like a rock. even illegal aliens who are placed in Hispanic households are against democrats now.
the American people have tuned democrats out. They don’t care what democrats say anymore. They don’t trust what democrats say anymore.
It is not just America. many countries have tossed the democrats leader “Soros” out of their country. all Soros organizations and employees are banned in 54 countries. His elections interference, voter fraud, and open society foundation policies are being made illegal in many countries. The game is coming to a close. The 2024 election is the last gasp of democrats American and global domination. We all know that is why democrats fear trump. Trump is not part of their global elitist club he is literally pro American.
I bet Xi doesn’t fail to capitalize on Biden’s weaknesses. GARONTEED!
Biden is an embarrassment to this country….as is his ‘cackling’ VP. What were the Demonrats thinking when they endorsed those 2 morons???
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Xi has no weakness like joe does. Even the country is in revelative good shape. Joe is/at China thinking he can outsmart Xi. joe has another think coming.
Has done Zero since day 1
It seems it does not take much to best Biden. This administration gets everything wrong! I can’t believe they are that stupid. They are purposely destroying this country. So sad that most people in this country have their heads in a dark place.
It’s not fair Xi has a brain and Biden has nothing except raising taxes and giving it away!
Expect NOTHING FROM JOE”OATMEAL FOR BRAINS” AND HIS HANDLERS.
I truly don’t see how, politically speaking, we can survive another year of the Biden administration. Do not expect any positive outcome from his meeting with Xi. So thankful God is in control of our eternal destination.
My God the lies. First, calling China flying aircraft in Taiwan airspace, someone needs to be reminded that the United States along with the UN recognizes Taiwan as being part of mainland China. That is called “law”. Secondly, finally and reluctantly the intel scumbags had to finally come before the press and admit that, yes the balloon was actually simply a weather balloon, contained no “spyware”(as if a nation with satellites that count your eyelashes would use a “spy balloon”), and had merely gotten caught up in winds not long after release (which was known almost immediately), and followed the tradewinds until the good ole USA spent a few million on missiles shooting the……..weather balloon down off South Carolina.
And lastly, the “aggression” of China sending some naval vessels into the area of the mid east. I may want to remind the author of this propaganda that China has numerous and expensive commercial ports in the region and I might also add that of course the US sent two CARRIER ATTACK GROUPS into the region. Will the author call that “American agression”? No, because he is a hack and a shill for the deep state.
If you want to go to war with China sir, get a gun and go. Leave my family out of your insane bullshit.
surely by now no one believes this clueless buffoon biden could strong arm a six year old let alone xi. these people were cowering down and eating out of trumps hand.
It is all OK. Xi is capitalizing on Biden’s failure.
The 10% for the big guy is paying off for Xi. China has bought strategic ports all over the world. Has influence in Brazil, Argentina, and don’t forget Africa. Where the cobalt mines are all owned by China. Ole Joe has sold America and Taiwan to China big time and Xi is here to look at his assets China owns in the US. This meeting is for XI to get more concessions from Ole Joe, not the other way around. Plus get some money to prop up China’s economy to the detriment of America’s. Ole Joe has done well, Xi has compromised him and now he is collecting what Xi wants.
Mike do you even know what MAGA means i’ll tell ya It means MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! …is that anything bad Mikey boy.
Grow up!
This meeting was never formulated in order for Little Joe to capitalize on anything. It was a chance for Xi Jinping to shake Joe’s hand thank him for the fine work he has carried out in support of China in the past and issue his party’s new orders for Joe to carry out during his remaining time in the Oval Office.
What a misleading and/or bogus headline. The world knows where the weakness lies and it is not with Xi or Putin or even Iran’s Ayatollah.
Whoever the next POTUS is, and I expect it to be Trump, they will have a difficult time reinventing US strength around the world thanks to all the kowtowing this administration has done appeasing our adversaries.