US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Beijing. He is the highest-ranking U.S. official to come to China on an official visit since President Joe Biden took over the White House. The last time the US secretary of state visited China was five years ago.
Blinken’s visit to China will last two days. During it, the chief of American diplomacy will try to ease the growing tensions between the United States and China. On Sunday, a representative of American diplomacy meets with his counterpart – Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang. Talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping may also take place on Monday.
US Secretary of State for China. Antony Blinken is to talk about avoiding conflict
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken began talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang by talking in English at the door of a villa on the grounds of the Beijing Guest House and hugging against the backdrop of Chinese and US flags. According to Chinese media, politicians are to discuss ways to avoid conflict in the face of heightened bilateral tensions over Taiwan and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The talks may also concern global economic stability and climate change.
The axis of the dispute between China and the United States is not only about Taiwan. Countries have divergent views on human rights as well as territorial disputes in the South China Sea and East China Sea. The two countries also clash in the area of trade and technology – recently, the US has increasingly restricted China’s ability to acquire, among others, chips.
As the strategic rivalry between the United States and China intensifies, other countries are particularly concerned about the risk of unintended military action by either of the two powers. China severed military-military ties with the United States after then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan last August.
Blinken’s visit will last two days. Talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping may take place on Monday. The last time the US secretary of state visited China was five years ago. The visit was originally scheduled for February, but was canceled due to the intrusion of a Chinese spy balloon into the US.
Anthony Blinken in China. First such visit in several years
As reported by Reuters, during Friday’s press conference, Blinken said that the American side would speak openly in China about its “real concerns” and said the trip was aimed at establishing “open and enhanced” communication between the two countries. “Intense competition requires constant diplomacy so that it does not escalate into confrontation or conflict,” he said. He also announced that he would look for areas of cooperation with Beijing, while also raising the issue of US citizens held in China on charges that Washington considers politically motivated.
Speaking at the same press conference after meeting Blinken, Singapore’s Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan called the US Secretary of State’s trip to China a “critical moment”.
Not only the US and China, but also the rest of the world will be watching. So we hope and believe that you will be able to deal with your differences, but more importantly, you will establish open channels of communication, build mutual trust and understanding
– said the head of Singaporean diplomacy.
Also on Friday, according to Reuters Agency, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said, commenting on the relations between the two countries: “This is not so-called responsible competition, but extremely irresponsible hegemonic behavior that will only push China and the United States towards confrontation.”
Blinken’s visit will last two days. Tomorrow there may be talks with the leader of the PRC, Xi Jinping. As noted by Reuters, Blinken is the highest U.S. government official to visit China since President Joe Biden took office in January 2021. Blinken’s visit to China was originally scheduled for February. At that time, however, it was canceled due to the intrusion into US territory of a Chinese spy balloon. The last time the US secretary of state visited China was five years ago.
Source: gazeta.pl
