Antony Blinken, the United States Secretary of State, emphasized the importance of open lines of communication during a phone call with China's foreign minister on Wednesday. This conversation sets the stage for their anticipated face-to-face discussions in Beijing. With relations between the two largest economies in the world deteriorating over various issues such as Taiwan, trade, and human rights, Blinken's visit aims to ease tensions that have escalated in recent years.
Scheduled to arrive in Beijing on Sunday, Blinken's upcoming talks seek to restore stability after a previously planned visit was abruptly canceled in February. During his call with Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang, Blinken expressed his commitment to maintaining open channels of communication. Additionally, they discussed both bilateral and global issues of mutual concern. The United States' State Department spokesman, Matthew Miller, confirmed that Blinken emphasized the necessity of responsible management of the US-China relationship to avoid misunderstandings and conflicts.
Miller also highlighted Blinken's intention to use diplomatic engagements as a platform to address concerns and explore potential areas of cooperation. The US Secretary of State firmly conveyed the United States' readiness to engage with China on both contentious and cooperative fronts. However, the Chinese readout of the call took a more confrontational tone, with Qin stating that relations between the two countries have encountered new difficulties and challenges this year. He placed the blame on the United States, asserting that China has consistently approached the relationship with mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation, as advocated by President Xi Jinping.
Blinken's planned visit to Beijing is notable, as it will mark the first trip by a high-ranking US diplomat since his predecessor, Mike Pompeo, visited in October 2018. Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping met in Bali last November, where they committed to preventing tensions from spiraling out of control. As part of this effort, Blinken's visit was arranged. However, an earlier trip was canceled abruptly when the United States detected and subsequently destroyed a Chinese surveillance balloon flying over its mainland.
Efforts to manage tensions between the two nations have resumed, including a closed-door meeting between Jake Sullivan, Biden's national security advisor, and Wang Yi, a senior Chinese diplomat, in Vienna last month. While Biden has sought areas of cooperation with China, such as addressing climate change, a comprehensive agreement remains elusive due to deep-rooted disagreements on various issues. In fact, just last week, the White House accused China of operating an intelligence unit in Cuba, which was upgraded in 2019, posing a direct challenge to the United States.
