US
and China make progress on some issues but remain divided on others, after
Blinken-Xi meeting
The talks resulted in progress "on a number of fronts", with both sides showing a "desire to reduce tensions", A senior State Department official said.
 |
| US Secretary of State Antony Blinken shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People on June 19, 2023 in Beijing, China. |
US Secretary of State
Antony Blinken met with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday, June 19, 2023,
as he wrapped up a two-day high-stakes visit to Beijing aimed at easing soaring
tensions between the countries.
The meeting was seen as
a follow-up to the virtual summit between Biden and Xi in November 2022, when
the two leaders agreed to work together on climate change, pandemic response,
and nuclear non-proliferation, while acknowledging their differences on other
issues.
Blinken said that he
conveyed to Xi the US commitment to "defending democracy, human rights,
and the rule of law", and urged China to "act more responsibly and
constructively" on global challenges such as North Korea, Iran, Myanmar, and
Afghanistan.
Xi said that China and
the US should respect each other's core interests and major concerns and avoid
confrontation and conflict. He also said that China would not accept any
interference in its internal affairs, such as those related to Taiwan, Hong Kong,
Xinjiang, and Tibet.
Both sides agreed to
establish a working group on climate change, which will be led by US climate
envoy John Kerry and Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng. They also agreed to resume
military-to-military dialogue and enhance cooperation on public health,
counter-terrorism, and people-to-people exchanges.
Blinken is the
highest-level U.S. official to visit China since President Joe Biden took
office, and the first secretary of state to make the trip in five years.
Blinken's visit is
expected to usher in a new round of visits by senior US and Chinese officials,
possibly including a meeting between Xi and Biden in the coming months.
Blinken's visit also
coincides with a critical juncture in China-US relations, as both sides face
challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the global economic recovery,
regional security issues, and multilateral cooperation.
Blinken's visit aims to
avoid misunderstanding or miscalculation between the two countries, and to
explore areas of common interest and cooperation.
The meeting between
Blinken and Xi was confirmed by the U.S. State Department just an hour before
it took place, and lasted for 35 minutes at the Great Hall of the People.
The meeting was not
announced in advance by either side, indicating a degree of uncertainty or sensitivity
about the encounter.
The meeting was held in
a cordial atmosphere, with both leaders shaking hands and smiling for the
cameras.
The meeting was also
attended by other senior officials from both sides, including US Deputy
Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan,
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi, and
Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Xie Feng.
In earlier meetings
between Blinken and senior Chinese officials, including Foreign Minister Wang
Yi, the two sides expressed willingness to talk but showed little inclination
to bend from hardened positions on disagreements ranging from trade, to Taiwan,
to human rights conditions in China and Hong Kong, to Chinese military
assertiveness in the South China Sea, to Russia's war in Ukraine.
The talks were marked
by frank exchanges of views on various issues of concern, with both sides
stating their positions clearly and firmly.
The talks also revealed
some areas of convergence or potential cooperation, such as climate change,
pandemic response, nuclear non-proliferation, regional stability, and
people-to-people ties.
The talks were
conducted in a respectful and constructive manner, without resorting to insults
or accusations that marred previous meetings between the two sides.
A senior State
Department official said that the talks resulted in progress "on a number
of fronts", with both sides showing a "desire to reduce
tensions", but also acknowledged "profound differences" between
the US and China.
The official said that
the talks were "not about grand bargains or sweeping deals", but
about "practical steps" to manage differences and advance cooperation.
The official also said
that the talks were "not about resetting or rebooting" the
relationship, but about "restarting" dialogue and communication after
a period of estrangement.
The official added that
the talks were "not about trust", but about "testing"
whether the two sides can work together on areas of mutual interest and
benefit.
The official also said
that the US did not seek to contain or change China, but to uphold the
international rules and norms that have benefited both countries and the world.
Blinken also met with
Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan on Monday, who is seen as a close ally of Xi
and a key player in China's economic policy. Wang said that China and the US
should "seek common ground while shelving differences" and
"manage differences in a constructive manner".
Wang said that China
and the US have "more common interests than differences" and should
"enhance mutual understanding and trust" through dialogue and
communication.
Wang also said that
China and the US should "respect each other's development paths and
systems" and "avoid interfering in each other's internal
affairs".
Wang also expressed
China's willingness to work with the US on global issues such as climate
change, pandemic response, economic recovery, and regional security.
Source
Antony Blinken to Meet
Chinese President Xi in bid to ease US-China tensions.
https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/national-international/antony-blinken-to-meet-chinese-president-xi-in-bid-to-ease-us-china-tensions/4434145/.
Blinken to meet Xi,
says U.S. State Department, as top diplomat tries to ease tensions between the
countries.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/blinken-to-meet-xi-says-us-state-department-as-top-diplomat-tries-to-ease-tensions-between-the-countries/ar-AA1cJoMD.
Secretary of State
Antony Blinken Meets Top China Diplomat as Trip Sees Positive Start.
https://time.com/6288151/blinken-china-diplomat-meeting/.
Amid reports Blinken
will meet Xi in China, US says visit aims to avoid ....
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3208922/antony-blinken-meet-chinas-xi-jinping-during-beijing-visit-financial-times.
Antony Blinken meets
China's Xi in a bid to ease soaring U.S.-China ....
https://www.npr.org/2023/06/19/1183045131/antony-blinken-meets-chinas-xi-in-a-bid-to-ease-soaring-u-s-china-tensions.
Blinken meets with
China's Wang Yi, all eyes on potential Xi Jinping .... https://www.cnn.com/2023/06/18/china/blinken-china-visit-wang-yi-meeting-intl-hnk/index.html.
No comments :