Antony Blinken, the Secretary of State, has stated that his recent trip to Beijing was an important start in stabilizing U.S. ties with China. He urged the two countries to move on from the spy balloon incident that postponed his previous visit. Blinken spent two days meeting with senior Chinese officials, including President Xi Jinping, and informed NBC News that preventing the downward spiral in relations between the two largest economies in the world “is not the product of one visit, even as intense and in some ways productive as this was.” However, it’s a good and vital start.
The trip was said to have no breakthroughs, according to U.S. officials, with several military-to-military communication channels that China cut last year in protest of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan yet to be restored. Blinken stated that re-establishing communication was crucial, citing recent encounters in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea that China claims were necessary to defend its national sovereignty but the U.S. has labeled as dangerous.
Blinken responds to criticisms on spying allegations and delayed punitive economic measures against China
Blinken dismissed criticism that the Biden administration had played down the spying allegations and delayed punitive economic measures against China to improve the U.S.-China relationship. He stated that the administration did not hold back and that he did not hold back with Chinese counterparts.
Congressional Republicans opposed Blinken’s visit, claiming that the White House should take a harder stance against Beijing. Blinken stated that it would be “totally irresponsible” not to engage with China, and if the two countries aren’t engaging, it makes it that much more difficult to ensure that the competition they’re in doesn’t turn into a conflict.
Blinken’s visit could pave the way for a phone call or in-person meeting between President Joe Biden and President Xi Jinping, who have not spoken since an in-person meeting last November on the sidelines of a summit in Indonesia. Blinken said that “ultimately there’s no substitute for the two leaders speaking directly to each other,” and this is especially true in China given the power that Xi Jinping has.
Blinken’s visit marks an important start in stabilizing U.S. ties with China. He has called for re-establishing communication channels and urged the two countries to move on from the spy balloon incident that postponed his previous visit. Blinken dismissed criticism that the Biden administration had played down the spying allegations and delayed punitive economic measures against China to improve the U.S.-China relationship. If the two countries aren’t engaging, it makes it that much more difficult to ensure that the competition they’re in doesn’t turn into a conflict. Ultimately, Blinken’s visit could pave the way for a phone call or in-person meeting between President Joe Biden and President Xi Jinping.
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