Xi Jinping meets Henry Kissinger as US seeks to defrost China ties

Chinese President Xi Jinping has met with former top diplomat Henry Kissinger as the US seeks warmer relations with China.

Mr. Kissinger’s unexpected trip to the Chinese capital coincides with a series of visits by top US officials.

The 100-year-old former Secretary of State played a crucial role in helping China emerge from diplomatic isolation in the 1970s.

The US has emphasized that he is visiting China in his capacity as a private citizen.

However, given his significant influence in China, experts believe he is likely acting as a backchannel for US-China negotiations.

Mr. Kissinger was warmly welcomed by Mr. Xi at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, a more intimate venue compared to the sprawling Great Hall of the People, where official meetings with foreign diplomats usually take place.

A brief statement about their meeting did not provide further details but praised Mr. Kissinger as a “legendary diplomat” and acknowledged his past achievements in brokering US rapprochement with China.

During his trip, which began on Monday, Mr. Kissinger also met with top diplomat Wang Yi and defense minister Li Shangfu, who is under US sanctions.

Chinese statements regarding the meetings struck a conciliatory tone, with Mr. Wang and Mr. Li emphasizing the need for respect, cooperation, and “peaceful co-existence” between the two superpowers.

The read-outs also quoted Mr. Kissinger as saying he was a “friend of China” and that “neither the United States nor China can afford to treat the other as an adversary.”

The extent of the US government’s involvement in Mr. Kissinger’s trip is not known. A State Department spokesman said earlier in the week that they were aware of his visit, and Chinese officials had also informed Secretary of State Antony Blinken during his visit to Beijing in June.

Besides Mr. Blinken, Mr. Kissinger is the only US figure that Mr. Xi has met in recent weeks, highlighting the respect the veteran diplomat still commands in China. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and US special envoy for climate John Kerry have also visited Beijing, but they did not get face time with China’s president.

While Mr. Kissinger has a controversial reputation in other parts of Asia due to his role in the Vietnam War, he is highly regarded in China for helping the country break free from diplomatic isolation.

In 1971, when the US and China had no official diplomatic ties, Mr. Kissinger made secret visits to Beijing to arrange a visit by then-US President Nixon.

The following year, Mr. Nixon arrived in China and met with top leaders, including Mao Zedong, paving the way for the normalization of US-China diplomatic relations and China’s opening-up to the world.

Since then, Mr. Kissinger has been welcomed in China more than 100 times, according to the read-out from Thursday’s meeting.