Blinken holds talks with Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, scheduled to meet Xi Jinping
- In Reports
- 12:40 PM, Apr 26, 2024
- Myind Staff
During discussions with his American counterpart Antony Blinken, who is visiting Beijing to address trade and policy disparities between the two nations, Foreign Minister Wang Yi accused the United States of stifling China's progress.
Secretary of State Blinken is scheduled to engage in several hours of closed-door meetings with Wang at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, followed by a working lunch. The aim is to sustain progress in bilateral relations despite facing a broad and intricate agenda.
During their opening session, Wang informed Blinken that the China-U.S. relationship had stabilised like a "giant ship", but expressed concern over increasing negative factors and disruptions.
He highlighted China's perception of its development rights being unreasonably suppressed and its core interests facing challenges. In response, Blinken emphasised the necessity of "active diplomacy" to advance the agenda established by Presidents Biden and Xi during their meeting in San Francisco in November.
Blinken emphasised the importance of face-to-face diplomacy, stating that there is no substitute for it in their judgment. He expressed the need to clarify areas of differences to avoid misunderstandings and miscalculations.
Blinken and Wang convened at a guesthouse within a vast complex of villas, lakes, and gardens where numerous foreign dignitaries, including former U.S. President Richard Nixon, have been hosted.
Ahead of the sessions, U.S. State Department officials indicated that China's support for Russia would be a significant topic of discussion. They stated that Washington is ready to take action against Chinese companies aiding in the retooling and resupplying of Russia's defence industry.
Officials have warned that such assistance could negatively impact the broader China-U.S. relationship. This comes as ties between the two nations suffered following incidents like then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan in 2022 and the U.S. downing of a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon in February 2023.
Despite an increase in high-level exchanges and working groups addressing issues such as enhanced military communication and global trade, significant differences persist between the United States and China.
Just hours before Blinken's arrival in China, President Biden signed a bipartisan bill allocating $8 billion to counter China's military capabilities, along with substantial defence aid for Taiwan and $61 billion for Ukraine.
The South China Sea remains a contentious issue, while the U.S. is eager to see more progress in curbing China's supply of chemicals used in the production of fentanyl.
Todd Robinson and Nathaniel Fick, along with other officials and envoys, are accompanying Blinken. Wang emphasised China's red lines, including sovereignty, security, and development interests, possibly referring to Taiwan and the South China Sea.
Blinken may meet President Xi Jinping before leaving for Washington tonight. He is also scheduled to meet China's Minister of Public Security, Wang Xiaohong. Ahead of the talks, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen hinted at keeping all options open to address China's industrial overcapacity, stating that China's export-driven employment strategy is unacceptable globally.
Image source: Reuters
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