Xi’s man in Washington: How new Chinese ambassador is expected to mirror his boss’s views of US

As a close and trusted aide to Xi, Qin Gang will implement his boss’s vision with no room for manoeuvre, writes William Yang in Taipei and Ahmed Aboudouh in London

China’s new Ambassador Qin Gang arriving to the US (AP)

Last week, as the new Chinese ambassador to Washington touched down on US soil, a subtle shift was underway in Sino-American relations.

It was a tale of two officials pushing reconciliatory rhetoric of cooperation, coexistence and adaptation. Competition, though, still dominated the uneasy interactions behind a well-staged, stilted diplomatic reciprocity.

As the highest ranking US official to visit China since President Biden took office, US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman made it very clear that the US did “not seek conflict” with China. Her visit to Tianjin in the north of China aimed to convey that the Biden administration’s policy is mindful of the importance of “guardrails” to ensure competition doesn’t veer into conflict between the two countries.