In the nearly three weeks since the virtual meeting between U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping, there has been a clear improvement in the relationship, with China now cooperating in various areas despite previous demands that Washington first drop its antagonistic attitude.
Thus, when the United States announced plans to release 50 million barrels of oil from its strategic reserve in December to counter rising fuel prices, China announced that it, too, would join in this effort “based on its own needs” along with the United Kingdom, Japan, South Korea and India.
Antony Blinken, the U.S. Secretary of State, said Dec. 2 that the United States was working well with China and European partners in talks with Iran in Vienna.