By Russell Hsiao
While Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping was in Washington last week, U.S. President Barack Obama and the leader-in-waiting had much to talk about. Top diplomats on both sides had prepared a wish list for the meeting, but issues like Iran, Syria and North Korea will likely remain irresolvable for the foreseeable future – at least until after the 18th Party Congress, when Xi will be anointed the next leader of the People’s Republic. The meeting, however, wasn’t simply much ado about nothing. At the very least, Xi’s visit may have provided a preface for the next chapter in the Sino-U.S. relationship, replete with mutual expectations.
One issue that was certainly on Xi’s mind is Taiwan. With Taiwan’s elections wrapped up and the incumbent President Ma Ying-jeou in office for another four-year term, Xi had an opportunity to persuade Washington to stop prolonging the “inevitable” and allow the “Chinese people” across the Taiwan Strait to resolve their political differences. So why was there scant mention of Taiwan between Xi and Obama? One reason could be because Xi felt that time is on Beijing’s side.
Read the full story at The Diplomat