The head of US diplomacy is the highest-ranking official to visit Beijing since Joe Biden arrived at the White House in January 2021.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing this Monday as part of an official visit amid tensions between the Asian giant and Washington.
Xi stressed that interactions between the two countries “should always be based on mutual respect and sincerity.” In this context, he emphasized that Blinken’s visit “could make a positive contribution to stabilizing relations,” reports the broadcaster. CGTN the words of the Chinese President. Xi also noted that the parties have already reached an agreement “on some specific issues” as part of Blinken’s trip.
The day before, Blinken, who is the first Secretary of State to visit China in five years and the most senior official to travel to Beijing since President Joe Biden arrived at the White House in January 2021, held “candid, substantive, and constructive” talks.” with his colleague Qin Gang.
During the meeting, the head of US diplomacy stressed the need to keep communication channels “open on all subject areas to reduce the risk of miscalculations and miscalculations.”
Bilateral relations ‘at their lowest point’
For his part, Qin explained Beijing’s position on its main interests and concerns, including the Taiwan issue. He also pointed out that relations between the world’s two largest economies are “at their lowest point”.
On the other hand, Wang Yi, the director of the Bureau of Foreign Affairs of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said in his meeting with Blinken that Beijing has “no room for compromise” on the Taiwan issue and remains committed to its quest for reunification of the island . In this regard, Wang called on Washington, which has an ambiguous policy on Taipei, to “fully” adhere to the one-China principle.
Washington is interacting with Taiwan at the level of arms sales and training its military personnel, while several US politicians regularly travel to the island for talks with its leaders, a move Beijing has strongly condemned and said is fueling China’s separatist intentions on the island. Regional tensions are rising.
Blinken planned to visit China in February but postponed his trip after the incident of an alleged Chinese spy balloon flying over US airspace.