Taiwan, democracy and human rights, China’s political system, and the right to development are Beijing’s four “red lines,” Xie Feng, the regime’s ambassador to the United States, said in an article published in the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s) state newspaper People’s Daily on Wednesday, NTD reported.
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Xi urged the United States to work with China to achieve what he called “peaceful coexistence.”
The Chinese diplomat’s comments came less than a day before Trump was set to host Xi at the White House. China’s foreign ministry said Xi departed Beijing on Wednesday afternoon local time for a state visit to the United States.
The CCP has long labeled these topics as very sensitive, warning that mishandling them could inflame tensions between the world’s two largest economies. In 2024, when Xi met with then-U.S. President Joe Biden in Peru, he described Beijing’s four “red lines” as something that Washington should not challenge, according to China’s readout of the meeting.
Steve Yates, a China expert and former national security official in the George W. Bush administration, interpreted Beijing’s warning as evidence of its lack of confidence in addressing the sensitive topics.
“The PRC is not a great power. CCP mouthpiece says don’t press Xi” on any of these issues, Yates said on X, using the acronym of the regime’s official name, People’s Republic of China.
China expert and commentator Gordon Chang went further, questioning the purpose of the high-level reengagement.
“Once you rule out the topics China has said are ‘red lines,’ there’s no point in holding a summit,” Chang said on X.
The White House has said that Trump is expected to raise human rights issues when he sits down with Xi in Washington.
During his May visit to Beijing, Trump discussed the detention cases directly with Xi, including that of Pastor Ezra Jin, the leader of the most prominent underground church in China. The pastor was subsequently released and reunited with his family in Los Angeles on July 4.
