After a failing relationship between the United States and China during the Trump Administration, there was a sense of optimism that it could be restored under the new Biden Administration. However, a recent summit between Chinese and American ambassadors in Alaska proved to be a disheartening start to this new era of relations. 

During the Alaska summit, after Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s opening remarks, China’s top diplomat, Yang Jiechi, spent more than the previously agreed upon 2 minutes of remarks warning the United States to “stop advancing its own democracy in the rest of the world.” With some more back-and-forth and unproductive dialogue between the two parties during the initial part of the summit, it was reported by a White House official that later discussions were more substantive. While specific details of these high-level talks have not been released to the public, it is speculated that at least one of the topics includes the ongoing discussion on China’s actions against the Uyghur Muslims. 

Compared to the United States, the Chinese relationship with France and the European Union is significantly worse. Notably, China’s Ambassador to France, Lu Shaye, has been recently targeting France and French government officials and other thought leaders via aggressive tweets. He specifically went after Antoine Bondaz, a specialist on China at the Foundation for Strategic Research think-tank based in Paris, calling him a “small-time hoodlum,” “crazed hyena,” and “ideological troll.” France has responded to Shaye’s actions by summoning him to remind him of “the elementary rules [on diplomatic relations]” that he is required to follow. 

After the United States, the European Union, Britain and Canada all imposed sanctions on China for their human rights abuses in Xinjiang, China responded to this coordinated Western action by placing sanctions on a handful of European leaders. Beijing also claimed the Union’s sanctions were interfering with China’s affairs, and that they were based on misinformation. 

Like other Western countries, China’s relationship with Canada is also quickly deteriorating. Following the highly secretive and controversial trials of Canadian citizens Michael Spavor (a consultant who operates tourism in North Korea) and Michael Kovrig (a former diplomat who works for a pro-peace think tank) in Beijing, former Canadian diplomat Paul Heinbecker explains that, “… in Canada [we] needed a foreign policy that built on the international rules and regulations… but China is starting to play rogue.” Canadian citizens continue to support a tougher stance on China, even with a risk of retaliation, and the recent trials only fueled this already growing flame. 

Generally, China believes that Western countries have been speaking freely about the nation without allowing other countries (like China) to share their criticisms. Xi Jinping, China’s current leader, has an extreme national focus, pledging “to uphold China’s interests at any cost.” In the past few months, China has taken more actions towards Western presences both in China and out of China, issuing sanctions to those who speak out about them and becoming increasingly defensive when their actions against the Uyghur Muslims are mentioned. Beijing has also taken more actions towards Taiwan in an effort to threaten its autonomy and has recently imposed new rules on Hong Kong’s elections to ensure a nationalist Chinese agenda. Even well known brands like H&M, Nike, and Burberry, with large presences in China, have had their operations threatened by the Chinese government’s actions. Only time will tell to see just how far China goes and if there is any hope of reconciliation with the West.