In a disappointing turn of events, the United States failed to persuade China to exert pressure on Iran to halt Houthi attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea. Two days of talks between the U.S. and China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi concluded without any clear indication of China's willingness to use its economic influence on Iran, according to a senior administration official.

The Biden administration has been urging Beijing to assist in quelling the attacks, but it remains uncertain whether China will take decisive action. The talks also hit a roadblock as the U.S. sought China's help in persuading North Korea to reduce its hostile rhetoric towards South Korea. Officials stated that recent interactions with China have not been constructive in terms of its influence on Pyongyang.

However, there was some progress in discussions addressing the ongoing civil conflict in Burma, where an alliance of ethnic militias has conducted a military offensive since October. The clashes have led to defeats for government forces and triggered a humanitarian crisis, displacing numerous civilians. The talks between U.S. national security advisor Jake Sullivan and China's Foreign Minister were described as "frank, substantive, and fruitful," with plans for further discussions at lower levels.

Despite the positive engagement on the Burma crisis, China's Foreign Ministry statement made no explicit reference to the Red Sea shipping crisis. Instead, Beijing expressed concerns about the perceived threat of Taiwan independence and criticized the U.S. for using export restrictions to suppress the development of other countries. The two nations intend to address the boundary between national security and economic activities in future meetings.

The difficulties encountered in persuading China to assist in the Red Sea crisis and North Korea's provocations illustrate the limitations of the Biden administration's diplomatic outreach efforts over the past eight months. Despite a series of high-level visits and discussions, China seems more inclined to remain on the sidelines of these international crises, rather than actively aligning with the U.S. against key allies.

The two-day meeting between Sullivan and Wang was a follow-up to Wang's visit to Washington in October, leading up to the Biden-Xi meeting in November. Agreements were reached to enhance military cooperation, counter-narcotics efforts, and initiate discussions on artificial intelligence. Progress is being made on these fronts, with an inaugural meeting of the U.S.-China Counternarcotics Working Group scheduled for next week and the resumption of military-to-military contacts in the coming months.

President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping are set to have a phone call in the coming months, building upon their meeting in San Francisco. However, China's reluctance to assist in the Red Sea crisis and North Korea's provocations reveals a greater preference for avoiding involvement in these conflicts, rather than actively supporting U.S. initiatives.

The U.S. remains committed to diplomatic engagement with China, but these recent setbacks highlight the challenges faced in gaining Chinese support for critical global issues. Efforts to address the Red Sea shipping crisis and contain North Korea's provocations will require continued dialogue and strategic maneuvering in the months ahead.