The United States did not send high-level officials to an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) tourism ministerial meeting in Macau, citing China’s restrictions on American diplomats’ ability to provide emergency consular help.
Washington did not send “high-level participants” to the meeting, which runs from Wednesday to Sunday in China’s Macau Special Administrative Region, according to a US State Department statement released on Wednesday.
The US had repeatedly asked China to lift the “arbitrary and targeted” visa requirements it imposes on US government officials travelling to Macau to provide consular services to American citizens, the statement said.
When China chose to host the tourism-focused Apec meeting in Macau, Washington again asked Beijing to address its concerns and proposed “a positive way forward,” but China “rejected” the proposal and “chose to maintain its discriminatory practice”, it said.
The statement did not say whether any lower-level US representatives would attend the meeting in Macau. The Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The US has no consular post in Macau. Its consular services there are handled by the consulate general in Hong Kong.
Beijing has asked US diplomats to obtain a separate visa before entering Macau, a requirement Washington opposes, saying it obstructs emergency diplomatic help to American citizens in the city.
The State Department maintains a “Level 3 – Reconsider Travel” advisory for Macau, the second-highest in its four-tier warning system, below only “Do Not Travel”.
Washington’s decision to skip the Macau meetings comes after US President Donald Trump hinted that he might visit China for the Apec meetings to be held in Shenzhen in November.
Unveiling a new US presidential plane on Friday, Trump indicated he would return to China for “a big conference”.
Trump visited Beijing last month in his first trip to China in nine years and met Chinese President Xi Jinping, with the two sides agreeing to build a relationship of strategic stability.
Xi is expected to travel to the US in September for a state visit and again in December for the Group of 20 summit.
US representatives had previously attended two Apec senior officials’ meetings, including the first round (SOM1) in Guangzhou in February and the second (SOM2) in Shanghai in May.
Deputy US Trade Representative Rick Switzer also attended the trade ministers’ meeting held from May 22 to 24 in the eastern city of Suzhou.
Hong Kong is expected to host the Apec finance ministers’ meeting in October. -- SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
