Hotline hope The state of bilateral relations between the US and China

摘要

1. Despite the positive mood following the recent Obama-Xi summit, the meeting will have little lasting legacy and is unlikely to lead to a bilateral 'hotline' between the two leaders. 2. Xi remains constrained by the Politburo Standing Committee on agreements relating to Chinese domestic politics, meaning that any US-China co-operation is more likely over third-country issues. 3. Common interests on the Korean peninsula mean that this is the area where the US and China are likely to work most closely in the near future, aiming to restart a diplomatic process.