The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken said this Monday that his visit to China was “a positive step” towards the goal of “responsible management” of bilateral relations.Even if the disagreements between the two powers are “far from” resolved, the EFE news agency reported.
“It was clear that relations were at a point of instability and both parties recognized that they needed to be stabilised,” the US diplomat chief said at a news conference in Beijing at the end of his two-day trip.
Blinken hoped there would be better communication between Beijing and Washington from now on. “This will not solve all the issues or disagreements that we have between us at once, but we both agree that managing the relationship responsibly is crucial,” he said.
The US is banking on a rivalry without conflict
The official detailed “all of the objectives of the trip,” which were “to establish direct channels of communication, to address issues of concern, and to explore collaboration on issues of mutual interest.” Among these, he highlighted the climate, global economic stability, health, the fight against the fentanyl trade, and human-to-human exchanges.
“It is beneficial to know that there is clarity between us on these issues,” the US Secretary of State said. He stressed the importance of maintaining open channels of communication to ensure “competition does not become conflict”.
Blinken claimed that as a result of the trip, there will be more visits to China by senior US officials in the coming weeks and he hopes these trips will be reciprocal.
The US does not “support” Taiwan independence
On Taiwan, one of the issues causing the greatest tension between Washington and Beijing, the diplomat reiterated that his country does not support the island’s “independence”. “Provocative actions” are defined as those carried out by China in the Taiwan Strait and in the South Seas.
“We remain opposed to any unilateral change in the ‘status quo’ by either party and remain hopeful for a peaceful resolution of differences,” said the head of US diplomacy. He also added that they remain “committed” to their “responsibilities” under the Taiwan Relations Act, emphasizing the duty to ensure that the island “has the ability to defend itself.”
Blinken highlighted international concerns about a possible conflict in the straits, which would “produce an economic crisis” that would affect “the whole world.” “50% of commercial container traffic crosses the Taiwan Strait every day. 70% of semiconductors are made in Taiwan. If these were shut down due to a crisis, it would have dramatic consequences for virtually every country in the world.” “World,” said the US Secretary of State.
The official stressed that US President Joe Biden “strongly believes” that “dealing responsibly” with the so-called “Taiwan issue” is one of the “most fruitful” and “essential” aspects of the relationship between them over the past five decades be the two countries.
Taiwan has been governed autonomously under the official name of the Republic of China since 1949When the Kuomintang nationalists withdrew there after being defeated by the communists in China’s civil war, Beijing continued to regard them as a rebel province and claim their sovereignty.
Blinken met with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday, after earlier meetings with Foreign Minister Qin Gang and China’s top diplomat Wang Yi.