US Envoy's Visit to China Fails to Ease Embargo on US-China Relations

Strategic Insights -

Following weeks of demands from China for a full accounting of the NATO bombing of its embassy in Belgrade, U.S. Undersecretary of State Thomas Pickering visited Beijing to explain the incident. Pickering stuck to the U.S. explanation that the bombing was a tragic accident caused by human error, which contradicts the widespread belief in China that the bombing was deliberate and demands punishment. China's top leaders and ordinary people are left in a difficult situation, where accepting the U.S. explanation may appear weak, while continuing to deny it may strain relations between the two countries further.

Key Takeaways:

  • The U.S. envoy, Thomas Pickering, reaffirmed the U.S. explanation that the bombing was a tragic accident caused by human error.
  • China's top leaders and ordinary people believe the bombing was deliberate and demand punishment, which could lead to strained relations between the two countries.
  • China's government is caught between vilifying the U.S. and accepting the U.S. explanation, which may risk appearing weak in the public's eyes.
  • The Chinese public has rejected the "human error" explanation and instead believes in a conspiracy by renegade factions within the military or intelligence agencies.
  • The destruction of the embassy and the deaths of three Chinese journalists sparked the worst anti-American protests in three decades, with tens of thousands marching on the U.S. embassy and consulates in Beijing.
  • China has cut off all high-level contact on military, security, and human rights matters with the U.S. since the bombing.
  • Resuming talks on China's entrance to the World Trade Organization (WTO) requires an acceptable U.S. explanation for the bombing, which would allow China to open its market to U.S. exports.

Statistics:

  • Three Chinese journalists died in the May 7 bombing.
  • Tens of thousands participated in anti-American protests in Beijing.
  • The US embassy and consulates in Beijing were the targets of the protests.
  • Relations between China and the US have been strained since the bombing.
  • China has cut off high-level contact with the US on military, security, and human rights matters.

Sources:

  • White House envoy Thomas Pickering's visit to Beijing, April 1999
  • Jane's Defense Weekly, preliminary findings of the U.S. investigation blaming sloppy work by military and intelligence officials for the bombing mistake
  • China Institute of Contemporary International Relations, foreign policy analyst Yan Xuetong's comments on the bombing