US Confirms Blinken Trip to China to ‘Responsibly Manage’ Tense Ties

Wed Jun 14 2023
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WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to visit Beijing this weekend in an effort to promote open communication and “responsibly manage” the high tensions between the United States and China, according to US officials.

The visit marks the first trip by a top US diplomat to China in nearly five years, as the original trip planned for February was canceled due to the US detecting what it claimed was a Chinese spy balloon.

In preparation for the visit, Blinken had a telephone conversation with Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang, during which he expressed his intention to discuss areas of concern as well as potential areas of cooperation.

The State Department spokesperson, Matthew Miller, highlighted Blinken’s emphasis on maintaining open lines of communication to prevent miscalculation and conflict in the US-PRC (People’s Republic of China) relationship.

The relationship between the two largest economies in the world has deteriorated significantly in recent years, with disputes over Taiwan, trade, human rights, and various other issues. A Chinese readout of the call from Qin took a more confrontational tone, noting that relations between the two countries had faced “new difficulties and challenges” since the beginning of the year and placing the responsibility on the United States.

Efforts to Calm Down Tensions Between US and China

Efforts to mitigate tensions between the US and China have been ongoing, including a closed-door meeting between President Joe Biden’s national security advisor, Jake Sullivan, and senior Chinese diplomat Wang Yi in Vienna last month. Blinken’s visit to Beijing is seen as another opportunity for dialogue, in line with the commitment made by Presidents Biden and Xi to prevent tensions from escalating.

While the Biden administration has sought limited areas of cooperation with China, particularly in addressing climate change, significant disagreements persist on numerous fronts. Just last week, the White House accused China of operating an intelligence unit in Cuba for years, with an alleged upgrade in 2019, which is seen as a direct challenge to the United States. In response, the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, Wang Wenbin, stated that he was unaware of the situation while criticizing US policy on Cuba.

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