The U.S. downplayed expectations of a breakthrough after a difficult call with China’s foreign minister ahead of Antony Blinken’s visit to Beijing next week.
In a call with Blinken on Wednesday, Chinese foreign minister Qin Gang asked the U.S. to cease meddling in its affairs and undermining its security and to respect China’s basic concerns to improve relations.
After postponing a February trip after a suspected Chinese spy balloon sailed over U.S. airspace, Blinken will become the highest-ranking U.S. government official to visit China since President Joe Biden took office in January 2021.
U.S. officials said Blinken would advocate for open communication lines to avoid tensions with China.
“We’re not going to Beijing with the intent of having some sort of breakthrough or transformation in the way that we deal with each other,” Daniel Kritenbrink, the State Department’s senior diplomat for East Asia, said reporters in a conference call.
“We’re coming to Beijing with a realistic, confident approach and a sincere desire to manage our competition in the most responsible way possible,” he said.
Kritenbrink expects Blinken to “reiterate America’s abiding interest in the maintenance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait” and mention Ukraine.
Blinken’s delayed visit aims to stabilize relations between the world’s two largest economies and geopolitical competitors. Relations have deteriorated, raising concerns they may fight over Taiwan, which China claims as its own.
Trade, human rights, and U.S. efforts to slow China’s semiconductor industry are among the disputes.
Chinese official media reported Blinken’s June 18–19 visit. Kritenbrink stated Blinken would meet with senior Chinese officials several times.
Blinken’s officials were unknown. U.S. State Department spokeswoman Matthew Miller said:
“I won’t speak to any potential meetings other than to say we’ll have announcements about who he will be meeting with and when over the next few days.”
Comment Template