TAIPEI, Taiwan — In a significant diplomatic engagement, China’s vice president held discussions with the U.S. vice president-elect and prominent American business figures like Elon Musk in Washington, coinciding with the lead-up to Donald Trump’s presidential inauguration amid continuing tensions between the two nations regarding trade and technology.
Han Zheng, on a mission as an emissary from Chinese President Xi Jinping, addressed a variety of subjects, including the urgent issue of fentanyl, trade balance, and regional stability with J.D. Vance, as noted by the Trump transition team.
During the discourse, Han highlighted the “extensive common interests and vast opportunities for cooperation” between China and the United States in economic and trade matters, despite acknowledging the existence of “some disagreements and frictions,” as reported by the Chinese Foreign Ministry following their meeting.
Trump has shown a willingness to impose tariffs and other measures against China should he enter a second term while alluding to potential cooperation on topics like regional disputes and controlling the export of substances linked to fentanyl production.
In an unusual gesture, Trump previously extended an invitation to Xi for the inauguration; it marks a first as no foreign leaders have made official visits to the U.S. for such an event, based on historical records from the State Department.
Although Xi will not be present at the inauguration, he and Trump conducted a phone call that covered trade matters, fentanyl, and the social media platform TikTok. This comes on the heels of TikTok reinstating its services in the U.S. shortly after it was taken offline due to a federal ban, a restriction that Trump indicated he would temporarily lift through an executive order.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry commended TikTok for its role in creating employment opportunities within the U.S., with spokesperson Mao Ning expressing hopes that America would heed rational proposals and nurture an open, fair, and equitable business landscape for global enterprises operating there.
Han’s interactions also included meetings with Musk and other high-ranking U.S. business leaders, including representatives from the U.S.-China Business Council and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, as disclosed by the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
The vice president of China reiterated the commitment to improving the business climate for foreign companies in China and expressed optimism regarding U.S. firms continuing to invest in the country.
Musk, whose Tesla factory operates in Shanghai, shared his thoughts on his platform X, stating his longstanding opposition to the TikTok ban, which he feels undermines freedom of speech. He also pointed out the “unbalanced” situation where TikTok can operate in the U.S. while X faces restrictions in China, calling for a reevaluation of the current circumstances.
Notably, X is among several prominent U.S. social media services and news outlets banned in China, along with YouTube, Google, and Facebook, leading to ongoing discussions about digital market access between the two nations.
