US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Chinese President Xi Jinping and older Chinese officials on Friday, voicing their concerns about the potential for miscommunications and misinterpretation as the two countries tussle over a number of controversial diplomatic, regional, and international concerns.
After speaking with Wang Yi, the Taiwanese prime minister, and Wang Xiaohong, the minister of public safety, Blinken and Xi met in Beijing.
In recent months, there have been more and more discussions between the two parties.
” We are committed to maintaining and strengthening lines of communication between us”, so that the two sides may avoid any “any misunderstandings, any misconceptions and any missteps”, Blinken said.
Before, Blinken and Wang also made the point of keeping communication lines open as they lamented prolonged and growing divisions that threaten international protection. When US President Joe Biden signed a sizable international aid bill that includes a number of dangerous parts, those divisions were brought to light earlier this year.
Their remarks made hints at a long list of issues that need to be discussed, including trade and human rights, China’s aid for Russia, and the trade and production of synthetic opioid predecessors.
” Total, the China- US marriage is beginning to stabilize”, Wang told Blinken at the start of about 5 1/2 days of deals. ” The relationship is still experiencing all kinds of problems, and the negative elements are still growing and strengthening.”
If China and the United States continue to advance with steadiness or go back to the bottom? he asked. This is a significant problem that poses a threat to our two countries and tests our honesty and ability.
Wang even outlined, without being certain, nicely- known Chinese issues about US policies and positions on the South China Sea, Taiwan, individual rights and China’s right to conduct relations with countries it deems fit.
” China’s genuine development privileges have been excessively suppressed and our primary interests are facing problems”, he said. ” China’s problems are continuous. We have always called for respect of each other’s core interests and attempt the United States not to impede in China’s domestic affairs, not to keep China’s development again, and not to step on China’s reddish lines on China’s sovereignty, security, and development interests”.
Blinken responded, claiming that even on contentious issues, the Biden administration prioritizes US-China dialogue. He noted that negotiations would continue to be difficult despite the fact that there had been some progress this year.
Blinken told Wang,” I look forward to these discussions being very clear and direct about the areas where we have differences and where the United States stands,” adding that” I have no doubt you will do the same on behalf of China.”
” There is no substitute in our judgement for face- to- face diplomacy in order to try to move forward, but also to make sure we’re as clear as possible about the areas where we have differences at the very least to avoid misunderstandings, to avoid miscalculations”, he said.
Later, Blinken and Wang were informed by the State Department that they had “in-depth, substantive, and constructive discussions about areas of disagreement as well as areas of cooperation,” and that they had made it clear that Blinken had stood up for US concerns.
Blinken “emphasized that the US will continue to fight for our interests and values and those of our allies and partners, particularly on human rights and economic issues,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement.
Blinken arrived in China on Wednesday, spending time in Shanghai shortly before Biden approved the$ 95 billion foreign aid package, which includes$ 8 billion to combat China’s growing aggression toward Taiwan and the South China Sea. Additionally, it aims to compel TikTok’s parent company, based in China, to sell the social media platform.
The main players in the Indo-Pacific are China and the United States. Beijing’s growing aggression toward Taiwan and its smaller Southeast Asian neighbors, with whom it has significant territorial and maritime disputes in the South China Sea, has heightened Washington’s concern.
China has criticized US assistance to Taiwan as a perilous provocation and has immediately criticized it. It also strongly opposes efforts to force TikTok’s sale.
The bill also allots$ 61 billion for Ukraine to defend itself from Russia’s invasion. The Biden administration has vehemently complained that Moscow has been able to evade Western sanctions and launch more attacks on Ukraine due to Chinese support for Russia’s military-industrial sector.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced just before the meeting that he would travel to China in May, and US officials have stated that China’s relations with Russia would be a top subject of conversation during Blinken’s visit.
