During a phone call with his American counterpart Antony Blinken on Wednesday, Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang lamented the “new difficulties” in bilateral relations and pointed the finger at Washington’s responsibility.
“Since the beginning of the year, China-US relations have faced new difficulties and challenges. It is clear who is responsible for this,” Mr Qin told his interlocutor, according to a press release from China’s Foreign Ministry.
Antony Blinken is due to visit China this weekend, US officials said days ago, a visit postponed in February after a Chinese balloon incursion into US airspace.
Relations between Beijing and Washington have been strained in recent months due to several issues: strengthening ties between the United States and Taiwan, rivalry in the technology sector, or the treatment of China’s Uyghur minority.
“Qin Gang clearly expressed China’s solemn stance on the Taiwan issue and other key issues,” the statement released by Beijing said.
“He stressed that the United States should respect (these concerns), stop interfering in China’s internal affairs and, in the name of competition, stop undermining China’s sovereignty, security and interests of China’s development,” the text reads.
China considers Taiwan one of its provinces that it has not successfully reunified with the rest of its territory since the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1949.
Beijing therefore rejects any official connection between foreign countries and the Taiwanese authorities and accuses the United States of working in this direction, contrary to its commitments.
“China hopes that the United States (…) will work with it to effectively resolve differences, promote exchanges and cooperation, to stabilize China-US relations and put them back on the path of healthy and steady development.” to bring,” Qin Gang told Antony Blinken.
A Chinese balloon flew over the United States in January and February. The American authorities then presented it as a “spy plane”, while Beijing assured them that it was a meteorological installation that had deviated from its trajectory.
An American fighter jet eventually shot down the plane, putting a strain on bilateral relations.
Antony Blinken’s visit this weekend, if confirmed, would be the first visit by a senior US diplomat to China since his predecessor Mike Pompeo’s trip in October 2018.