USA: Earlier this month, a diverse group of former Chinese officials and academics visited New York in the biggest semi-official diplomatic initiative in Sino-US relations in the last three years.

The nine-day visit by such a delegation was the first since the conclusion of the Communist Party's five-year National Congress last month, and it ended on November 16, two days after President Xi Jinping and President Joe Biden. A private meeting in Bali, Indonesia, during the G20 summit.

Many believed this was a component of efforts to ease rising tensions between the two sides.

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An article by the Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs, a state-affiliated civilian diplomacy organization, said that Wang Chao, former vice-minister of foreign affairs and director of the organization and party chief, led the Chinese delegation.

Twelve former business, trade and financial officials as well as experts in the fields of diplomacy and defense made up the membership. They included Cui Tiankai, former Chinese ambassador to the US, Chen Deming, former minister of commerce, and leaders in the solar energy and auto parts business.

Maurice Greenberg, former chairman and CEO of insurer American International Group, led the group as they met with former US officials and executives. Greenberg, 97, is known for his close ties with China.

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The Chinese delegation also held meetings with former Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Michael Mullen (76), former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger (99) and former ambassadors to China Max Baucus (80) and Terry Branstad (76).

According to Lu Jiang, an expert on Sino-US relations at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the visit was encouraging for the resumption of communication between China and the US.

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Lu said the two countries would be able to discuss more practical issues such as trade and commerce during the visit organized by the Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs, a civilian organization.

"Because it is so difficult for American businesses to fully disengage from China, Greenberg's call for rebuilding ties with China actually represents a mainstream view of business and the business sector in America.

Greenberg founded a group of US trade officials and policy makers in July to foster what he called "the most important bilateral relationship in the world" and "a meaningful but candid exchange between the US and Chinese governments on mutual issues". established with the aim of anxiety."