18-6-2023 (BEIJING) US Secretary of State Antony Blinken touched down in Beijing on Sunday, marking the first visit by a top American diplomat to China in five years. The visit comes at a time of frosty bilateral ties and dim prospects for significant breakthroughs on the extensive list of disputes between the world’s two largest economies.
Blinken’s trip had been postponed in February due to a suspected Chinese spy balloon incident in US airspace. As the highest-ranking US government official to visit China since President Joe Biden took office in January 2021, Blinken aims to establish open and durable communication channels during his stay, which extends until Monday. He is expected to meet with Foreign Minister Qin Gang, China’s top diplomat Wang Yi, and potentially President Xi Jinping. The goal is to prevent the strategic rivalry between the two countries from escalating into a full-blown conflict.
The visit by Blinken is seen as a precursor to more bilateral meetings in the coming months, with possible trips by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo. It may also set the stage for meetings between President Xi and President Biden at multilateral summits later in the year. President Biden expressed his hope to meet with President Xi in the next several months.
A November meeting between the two leaders in Indonesia briefly eased concerns of a new Cold War. However, following the incident involving the alleged Chinese spy balloon over the United States, high-level communication has been rare. The international community closely watches Blinken’s visit, recognizing that any escalation between these superpowers could have global repercussions affecting financial markets, trade routes, practices, and global supply chains.
“There’s a recognition on both sides that we do need to have senior-level channels of communication,” stated a senior State Department official during a refuelling stop in Tokyo en route 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 added.
Bilateral ties between the US and China have deteriorated across various fronts, raising concerns of a potential military clash over the self-ruled island of Taiwan, which China claims as its own. Disputes also encompass trade, US efforts to restrict China’s semiconductor industry, and China’s human rights record, all contributing to the strained relationship. Neighboring countries of China express particular alarm over its reluctance to engage in regular military-to-military talks with the US, despite repeated US overtures.
Before departing for Beijing, Blinken outlined three main objectives for his trip: establishing crisis management mechanisms, advancing US and allies’ interests while directly addressing concerns, and exploring areas of potential cooperation. He also stated that he would raise the issue of US citizens detained in China on politically motivated charges.
Topics likely to be discussed during the visit include the possibility of increasing commercial flights between the two countries, which could promote people-to-people ties. However, US officials downplayed expectations of significant progress, stating that while the discussions would be “candid, direct, and constructive,” breakthroughs on major issues, such as the flow of fentanyl precursors and detained Americans, are unlikely.
Seeking China’s cooperation in stemming the flow of fentanyl precursors remains a key item on the agenda. US officials have previously highlighted China’s reluctance to cooperate on this issue.
