Unofficial US-China dialogue: seeing the worst in each other undermines nations’ already dismal relations

Washington needs to clearly and consistently outline its China policy and Beijing needs to explain how expanding into the South China Sea and elsewhere contributes to regional peace and stability, according to the National Committee on American Foreign Policy, which organised a series of recent US-China backchannel discussions.

“Track two” or backchannel diplomacy involves non-governmental contacts used to explore options when official channels are blocked, although this has declined as relations have hit new lows and Covid-19 has reduced face-to-face contact.