Exclusive | Henry Kissinger’s ‘heart-to-heart’ talks with Xi Jinping in China planned months in advance
- The elder statesman’s meeting with the Chinese leader is in contrast to Janet Yellen and John Kerry’s recent trips
- ‘Both sides’ expect the elder statesman to convey his views on China’s thinking to Washington, a source said
State broadcaster CCTV reported on Thursday that Chinese President Xi Jinping met Kissinger at the Diaoyutai state guest house in Beijing – in stark contrast to visits by US officials in recent days which excluded meetings with the Chinese leader.
As former president Richard Nixon’s secretary of state, Kissinger played a pivotal role in preparing the ground for formal ties between Beijing and Washington in the 1970s and is still held in high esteem in China.
Xi told Kissinger that he and other former US leaders had made the “correct choice” to normalise US-China relations, a move that “benefited the two countries and changed the world”, according to the report.
“Chinese people value friendship and we will never forget our old friend and your historic contribution to promoting the development of US-China relations and enhancing the friendship between Chinese and American people,” Xi said.
Xi also stressed that the world was undergoing major shifts and the two world powers were “once again at a crossroads ... and both sides need to make a choice”.
“Looking ahead, China and the United States can help each other succeed and prosper together, and the key is to follow the three principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation,” he said.
To that end, China is willing to explore ways with the US to get along “correctly”, Xi said, while urging Kissinger to play a constructive role in bringing relations back on the right track.
“This will benefit the two sides and the whole world,” he added.
Kissinger said relations between the two countries were “a matter of world peace and the progress of human society”, and he was willing to work to boost mutual understanding, according to the CCTV report.
The pair met under a painting of plum blossoms in the backdrop, flowers that typically blossom under hostile conditions and symbolise resilience and longevity.
02:20
US diplomatic veteran Henry Kissinger visits Beijing ‘as a friend of China’
Kissinger’s visit overlapped with US climate envoy John Kerry’s trip to Beijing that ended on Wednesday. Kerry did not meet the Chinese leader, nor did Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen who was in Beijing the previous week.
The timing of Kissinger’s visit raised questions about whether he was acting as a backchannel for the reopening of defence dialogues, paused between the two countries as relations have deteriorated.
But, according to the source, Kissinger’s trip was planned “way before” Kerry’s visit to Beijing was announced, and the timing was coincidental.
The elder statesman’s team started preparing several months ago for the visit, which is expected to stretch until the end of the week and has also included meetings with China’s Defence Secretary Li Shangfu and foreign policy chief Wang Yi.
“Kissinger is certainly going as a private citizen and not at the request of the US government. Naturally, he is invited to meet senior officials when he visits a foreign country, particularly China, and they invariably offer their views and ask [for] his,” another source said.
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When asked about the trip on Tuesday, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said Kissinger did not represent the US government. He added that Beijing informed Secretary of State Antony Blinken of Kissinger’s plans during his own trip to China last month.
Kissinger served as secretary of state and national security adviser under presidents Nixon and Gerald Ford, playing a key role in the diplomacy that paved the way for the normalisation of US-China ties in the 1970s.
During his talks with Kissinger on Wednesday, Wang hailed the former envoy’s “irreplaceable role” in US-China relations.
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Washington needed “Kissinger-style diplomatic wisdom”, Wang said, adding that “China cherishes friendships established with old friends”.
“China maintains a high degree of continuity in its policy towards the United States, and fundamentally follows the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation proposed by President Xi Jinping,” Wang said.
“China’s development has strong endogenous momentum and inevitable historical logic. It is impossible to try to transform China, and it is even more impossible to encircle and contain China.”
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According to the Chinese foreign ministry, Kissinger said that, although he was not in public office, he cared about US-China ties and supported recent efforts to improve relations.
“No matter how difficult it is, both sides should treat each other as equals and maintain contact. It is unacceptable to try to isolate or separate from each other,” Kissinger said, according to the ministry readout.
Wang also issued a stern message on Taiwan, warning that the US must strictly abide by the one-China principle established in the Shanghai communique. Kissinger responded that he believed Washington’s pledge on the one-China policy would not be betrayed, the readout said.
