00:00After years of rising tensions, last November's summit between President Xi Jinping and President
00:05Joe Biden near San Francisco aimed at stabilizing relations between the two biggest economies.
00:12The leaders agreed on a list of measures aimed at reducing tensions and increasing diplomatic
00:17engagement. And both sides have largely followed through. Chinese and U.S. diplomats have met
00:23increasingly across the world. The two militaries have restored high-level contacts, too, in
00:29a bid to avoid misunderstandings. However, in spite of the improved diplomatic environment,
00:36tensions remain. The U.S. has continued to increase restrictions on Chinese access to
00:41high-end technology, especially semiconductors. They've slapped tariffs on the import of Chinese
00:48electric vehicles, increased arms sales to China's Taiwan region. And while claiming
00:53that the U.S. doesn't take sides in maritime disputes in the South China Sea, Washington
00:59supported its ally, the Philippines, in its resupply of troops in the area. Beijing and
01:04Washington have also found themselves on opposite sides in the United Nations Security Council
01:10when it comes to the conflict in Ukraine and the war in Gaza. However, the U.S. has been
01:15pleased by a decrease in the flow of chemicals used to make the deadly drug fentanyl to Latin
01:20American nations, and have reengaged with China on climate change challenges. And both
01:25have worked to lower tensions over Pacific Island issues. The recently concluded visit
01:31of U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan to Beijing, with 14 hours of talks with Chinese
01:36Foreign Minister Wang Yi and other officials, culminated in a meeting with President Xi,
01:41a further sign of a more cooperative relationship.
01:45These were constructive, candid, substantive conversations. We believe that keeping lines
01:50of communication open is critical.
01:53And while there's been an obvious, noticeable improvement in U.S.-China relations throughout
01:572024, not so much guaranteed for 2025, largely because of the uncertainty surrounding November's
02:05presidential election here in the U.S. There has been improvement, but by no means guaranteed.
02:13Nathan King, CGTN, Washington.
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