Blinken in Beijing in bid to ease strained US-China bilateral relations

By Reuters:

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Beijing on Sunday, the primary high American diplomat to go to China in 5 years, amid frosty bilateral ties and dim prospects for any breakthrough on the lengthy listing of disputes between the world’s two largest economies.

Having postponed a February journey after a suspected Chinese spy balloon flew over US airspace, Blinken is ready to change into the highest-ranking US authorities official to go to China since President Joe Biden took workplace in January 2021.

During his June 18-19 journey, he’s anticipated to fulfill with Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang, China’s high diplomat Wang Yi and presumably President Xi Jinping, and work to ascertain open and sturdy communication channels to make sure the strategic rivalry between the 2 nations doesn’t spiral into battle.

It might be a visit additionally carefully adopted by the remainder of the world as any escalation between superpowers might have worldwide repercussions on all the things from monetary markets to commerce routes and practices and world provide chains.

‘Reducing Risk of Miscalculation’

“There’s a recognition on both sides that we do need to have senior level channels of communication,” a senior State Department official informed reporters throughout a refuel cease in Tokyo en path to Beijing.

“That we are at an important point in the relationship where I think reducing the risk of miscalculation, or as our Chinese friends often say, stopping the downward spiral in the relationship, is something that’s important,” the official stated.

Ties between the nations have deteriorated throughout the board, elevating considerations that they may sooner or later conflict militarily over the self-ruled island of Taiwan, which China claims as its personal. They are additionally at odds over points starting from commerce, US efforts to carry again China’s semiconductor trade and Beijing’s human rights observe report.

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Particularly alarming for China’s neighbors has been its reluctance to have interaction in common military-to-military talks with Washington, regardless of repeated US makes an attempt.

Speaking at a information convention on Friday earlier than departing for Beijing, Blinken stated the journey had three predominant targets: Setting up mechanisms for disaster administration, advancing US and allies’ pursuits and talking straight about associated considerations, and exploring areas of potential cooperation.

Competition & Conflict

“If we want to make sure, as we do, that the competition that we have with China doesn’t veer into conflict, the place you start is with communicating,” Blinken stated. He stated he would even be elevating the difficulty of US residents detained in China on fees Washington sees as politically motivated.

But US officers in a briefing name previewing the journey earlier within the week performed down any expectations of a lot progress. While Blinken’s predominant purpose might be “candid, direct and constructive” discussions, the officers stated, breakthroughs will not be probably on any main points, together with the circulate of fentanyl precursors and Americans detained in China.

But there’s an expectation that Blinken’s go to will pave the best way for extra bilateral conferences in coming months, together with doable journeys by US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo. It might additionally set the stage for conferences between Xi and Biden at multilateral summits later within the yr.

Biden and Xi’s Bali assembly final November briefly eased fears of a brand new Cold War, however following the flight of an alleged Chinese spy balloon over the United States in February that led Blinken to postpone a Beijing go to deliberate for that month, high-level communication has been uncommon.

The US official additionally stated making an attempt to safe China’s cooperation on stemming the circulate of fentanyl precursors was going to be a key merchandise on the agenda. The Chinese facet has been reluctant to cooperate on the difficulty, US officers have stated.

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