Washington/Beijing: China’s apparently cold response to the United States Secretary of State Antony J Blinken’s visit to Beijing between June 18-19, 2023, suggests hard bargaining in the offing.
It may be mentioned that the US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink and National Security Council Senior Director for China and Taiwan Affairs Sarah Beran were in China last week where they held “candid and productive” discussions with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Executive Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu and Director General of the North American and Oceanian Affairs Department Yang Tao, in Beijing on June 5. The two sides exchanged views on the bilateral relationship, cross-Strait issues, channels of communication, and other matters. U.S. officials made clear that the United States would compete vigorously and stand up for US interests and values.
Blinken had earlier “postponed” his visit to China after the appearance of ‘spy’ balloons on the US skies at the beginning of February 2023. Now during his visit, he will discuss the importance of maintaining open lines of communication to responsibly manage the US-China relationship with senior Chinese officials. “He will also raise bilateral issues of concern, global and regional matters, and potential cooperation on shared transnational challenges,” the US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller, announced in Washington.
Today morning Blinken also spoke to China’s State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gan over the telephone at the US request.
The Secretary discussed the importance of maintaining open lines of communication to responsibly manage the US-China relationship “to avoid miscalculation and conflict, addressed a range of bilateral and global issues”, and made clear the US would continue to use diplomatic engagements to raise areas of concern as well as areas of potential cooperation.
China stated that Qin told him about the “new difficulties and challenges” that the China-US relations have encountered since early this year. Claiming that China viewed and handled its relationship with the US “under the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation proposed by President Xi Jinping”, Qin told Blinken that the “responsibility for this situation is clear”.
Qin stated China’s strong position on its core concerns, including the Taiwan question. He stressed that the US needs to respect China’s concerns, stop interfering in China’s internal affairs, and stop undermining China’s sovereignty, security and development interests in the name of competition.
“It is hoped that the US will take concrete actions to deliver on the important common understandings between the two presidents in their meeting in Bali and the relevant commitments of the US, work with China to effectively manage differences, promote exchanges and cooperation, stabilize the relationship from further deterioration and bring it back to the track of healthy and stable development,” Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin said while confirming that “as agreed between China and the US”, Blinken will visit China from June 18 to 19, 2023.
– global bihari bureau
