U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken (left) shakes hands with Director of the Office of China’s Central Foreign Affairs Commission Wang Yi at the Diaoyu State Guest House in Beijing on June 19, 2023. (Photo by Leah MILLIS / POOL / AFP) (Photo by LEAH MILLIS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Leah Millis | Afp | beautiful images
Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday emphasized that the US and China need to avoid “miscalculation” and “misunderstanding”.
Speaking in Beijing before a closed-door meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Mr Blinken said there was no substitute for “face-to-face diplomacy”.
Both sides need to ensure that “we understand as clearly as possible the areas where we have differences, at least to avoid misunderstandings, to avoid miscalculations,” he told reporters.
His latest trip to China comes as the two countries are looking for ways to stabilize their strained relationship, as both countries are vying for technological dominance as well as economic dominance. economic and political.
In his speech, Wang told Blinken that US-China relations are “beginning to stabilize” with increased dialogue and cooperation.
“This is welcomed by our two peoples and by the international community,” he said, but warned that “negative elements” were growing and forming, and that caused “all kinds of disruptions.” paragraph”.
“China’s legitimate right to development has been unjustly suppressed and our core interests are facing challenges,” he said, asking Washington “not to step on China’s red line.” China”.
President Joe Biden meets his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in San Francisco last year on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Conference.
In early April, in a call with Xi – the first such telephone meeting as of July 2022 – Biden raised a series of US concerns, according to a White House transcript of the call.
risky relationship
Tensions have been simmering for years, since trade war to the consequences A spy balloon believed to be from China flew over the US sky. More recently, the US has accused China of providing support Russia’s military efforts in Ukraine.
Before Blinken’s visit, one senior official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the top US diplomat is planning to warn Beijing against supporting Russia’s efforts to rebuild its defense bases, which risks weakening European security .
On Thursday, Blinken met Shanghai Communist Party Secretary Chen Jiningaccording to the US State Department, and “raises concerns about trade policies and non-market economic activities”.
He emphasized that “the United States is seeking healthy economic competition” with China and a level playing field for American workers and companies operating in the country, spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement.
This is Blinken’s second trip to China after a high-level diplomatic trip to cool down US-China tensions in June last year.
It is still unclear whether the Foreign Minister will meet Xi Jinping on this trip.
It is important to demonstrate that “we are responsibly managing the relationship that has the greatest consequences,” Blinken said Friday.
“I hope we can make some progress on the issues that our presidents have agreed we should cooperate on, but also clarify our differences, our intentions and say make clear to each other our views.”
