The Diplomatic Tightrope: 5 Key Areas Where China's Ambassador Xie Feng Is Reshaping US-China Relations

As of December 17, 2025, the critical and often volatile relationship between the United States and the People's Republic of China is being managed on the ground in Washington D.C. by Ambassador Xie Feng. His tenure, which began in May 2023, has coincided with one of the most complex periods in bilateral history, marked by high-stakes trade disputes, escalating geopolitical tensions over Taiwan, and a fierce competition in advanced technology sectors. The ambassador's role is not merely ceremonial; it is a high-wire act of communication, tasked with conveying Beijing's core interests while attempting to stabilize the world's most important and challenging diplomatic tie.

Ambassador Xie Feng’s public addresses and private meetings throughout 2025 have provided a clear blueprint of China’s current diplomatic strategy. He consistently advocates for "coexistence" over "confrontation," emphasizing the need for both nations to respect each other's "core interests." The focus is on implementing the consensus reached by the heads-of-state and navigating a path forward that minimizes disruption to global stability and economic prosperity, making his every move a subject of intense scrutiny by the diplomatic community, business leaders, and global media.

Ambassador Xie Feng: A Profile in High-Stakes Diplomacy

Ambassador Xie Feng is a seasoned diplomat whose extensive background in North American and Oceanian affairs made him a natural, albeit highly experienced, choice for the Washington post. His career trajectory has prepared him for the intense pressures and nuanced negotiations inherent in the U.S.-China relationship.

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• Full Name: Xie Feng (Chinese: 谢锋)
• Born: April 1964
• Education: Graduated from China Foreign Affairs University in 1986.
• Current Role: 12th Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to the United States (Assumed office May 2023).
• Key Prior Roles:
  • Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs (responsible for U.S. and Oceanian affairs).
  • Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hong Kong (a particularly sensitive post).
  • Ambassador of China to the Republic of Indonesia.
  • Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) at the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C. (served twice).
  • Director-General of the Department of North American and Oceanian Affairs (DNADO) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• Diplomatic Style: Known for his pragmatic, direct, and firm approach, often described as a "crisis manager" adept at handling complex and sensitive issues.

His prior postings, especially as Vice Minister for U.S. affairs and his time in Washington D.C., mean he possesses a deep institutional knowledge of the U.S. political landscape and the intricacies of the diplomatic relationship.

The 2025 Diplomatic Agenda: Core Issues and Public Statements

Throughout 2025, Ambassador Xie Feng has been highly active, delivering keynote speeches and engaging with various U.S. stakeholders, from business councils to think tanks and security officials. His public remarks consistently frame the relationship around several non-negotiable "core interests" and areas where he sees potential for "win-win cooperation."

1. Economic Stability and Trade Tariffs

A central theme of the Ambassador’s 2025 outreach has been the need for economic de-escalation. Speaking at the USCBC (U.S.-China Business Council) China Operations Conference in November 2025, Ambassador Xie urged U.S. businesses to seize opportunities for closer ties, framing China's economic development as a chance for shared prosperity.

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• Warning on Protectionism: He repeatedly warned the U.S. against repeating the "tariff mistakes" of the past, drawing parallels to the Great Depression of the 1930s. His message is clear: protectionist measures harm global supply chains and ultimately hurt American consumers and businesses.
• Focus on the 15th Five-Year Plan: In a keynote speech titled "A New Blueprint for the 15th Five-Year Plan Period," he highlighted China's future development strategy, inviting American investment and collaboration in areas like green energy, innovation, and shared development, emphasizing a vision of Chinese Modernization.

2. The Taiwan Strait and Core Interests

The issue of Taiwan remains the most sensitive and potentially explosive flashpoint in U.S.-China relations. Ambassador Xie's statements on this topic are consistently firm, reiterating Beijing's "One China" principle.

He has stressed that maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait is paramount, but he couples this with a strong warning that the U.S. must respect China's "core interests." This is a diplomatic code for reducing U.S. military support and official engagement with Taipei. The Ambassador's position is that disagreements should not be allowed to "dominate or disrupt" the overall bilateral relationship, but the Taiwan question is explicitly the most critical disagreement.

Navigating Security and Technological Competition

Beyond commerce and Taiwan, the Ambassador's diplomatic efforts in 2025 have focused heavily on defusing tensions in the security and technology spheres, two areas where U.S. policy has become increasingly confrontational.

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3. Defense Relations and Security Dialogue

In a significant move to reopen communication channels, Ambassador Xie Feng made a rare visit to the Pentagon for security-related talks. This high-level engagement with U.S. defense officials signals a mutual desire to prevent miscalculation in military-to-military interactions. Discussions covered defense relations and "a range of international and regional security issues," a necessary step to manage friction points like the South China Sea and general military posture.

The re-establishment of these dialogues is a key indicator of the current state of US-China relations, suggesting that while competition is fierce, both sides acknowledge the critical need for guardrails to prevent conflict escalation.

4. Technology and Decoupling Concerns

Technology competition, particularly in semiconductors, artificial intelligence (AI), and quantum computing, is a defining feature of the modern relationship. Ambassador Xie has used platforms like the U.S.–China Engagement Dialogue Symposium (November 2025) to push back against the concept of "decoupling."

He argues that separating the two economies, especially in technology, is not feasible and is detrimental to global innovation. His message to the American audience is that technological advancement should be a field for collaboration, not a zero-sum game, seeking to reassure U.S. companies that China remains committed to openness and shared development.

The Kuliang Spirit and People-to-People Ties

5. Head-of-State Diplomacy and Grassroots Engagement

Ambassador Xie consistently emphasizes the importance of "heads-of-state diplomacy," noting that frequent interactions between President Xi Jinping and the U.S. President provide the strategic guidance necessary for the relationship.

A key part of his public outreach is the promotion of "people-to-people exchanges," often referencing the "Kuliang Spirit."

• The Kuliang Forum: In November 2025, Ambassador Xie delivered a keynote speech at the Kuliang Forum, an event dedicated to fostering friendly exchanges between the Chinese and American people.
• Historical Context: The Kuliang story, which centers on an American family's historical connection to the Kuliang area of Fuzhou, is used as a powerful symbol of deep, enduring friendship that transcends political differences. By promoting these grassroots connections, the embassy seeks to build a foundation of mutual understanding that can withstand the political storms in Washington and Beijing.

Ambassador Xie Feng's tenure, particularly through 2025, has been defined by a diplomatic strategy of "seeking common ground while reserving differences." He is the principal architect of China's on-the-ground efforts to stabilize the relationship, focusing on economic interdependence and high-level dialogue while firmly defending China’s core interests on issues like the Taiwan Strait and technological sovereignty. His every statement and meeting underscores the belief that the future of the China-U.S. relationship—and indeed, the future of the world—hinges on whether these two great powers can successfully manage their competition without descending into conflict.