What does a new foreign minister mean for relations between the US and China?

The appointment of Qin Gang could herald an attitude shift which may prove fruitful, writes Chris Stevenson

Chinese Ambassador to the United States, Qin Gang (Alamy Stock Photo)

When you think about the diplomatic relationship between the US and China, it is often the myriad disagreements – from the status of Taiwan to trade – that come to mind first.

The various spats have been a regular feature of our news coverage, in part because butting heads has been a significant part of the political back-and-forth between the two countries.

The appointment of Qin Gang as China’s foreign minister, having previously been ambassador to the US, is an interesting development when it comes to the working relationship between the two nations.