19-6-2023 (BEIJING) Chinese President Xi Jinping and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken held a crucial meeting on Monday, marking their first face-to-face encounter in over seven months. The meeting took place in Beijing as part of ongoing talks between key Chinese officials and the US envoy, following Xi’s previous meeting with American President Joe Biden at the G20 summit in Bali last November.
President Xi Jinping is meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken @SecBlinken.
— Hua Chunying 华春莹 (@SpokespersonCHN) June 19, 2023
Blinken’s two-day visit to China was a significant outcome of the Xi-Biden meeting, during which they expressed a mutual commitment to improving bilateral relations. As the highest-ranking American official to visit China since President Biden assumed office, Blinken’s trip holds substantial importance. It also marks the first visit by a US Secretary of State to China in nearly five years. While a meeting with President Xi had not been confirmed before Blinken’s arrival in Beijing, the fact that it eventually took place is viewed as a positive sign of progressing talks.
Earlier in the day, Blinken held discussions with China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, who urged the United States to engage in deep reflection and manage differences with Beijing. Wang attributed the deteriorating ties between the two nations to Washington’s “erroneous perception” of China. He emphasized that Blinken’s visit occurred at a critical juncture in US-China relations, calling for a choice between dialogue and confrontation, as well as cooperation and conflict.
Wang further cautioned the US against assuming that China sought dominance and advised against “misjudging” Beijing based on the paths taken by traditional Western powers. Blinken’s visit to China is expected to lay the groundwork for a meeting between Presidents Biden and Xi scheduled for November. The two leaders last met face-to-face on the sidelines of a G20 summit in Bali late last year.
The Xi-Blinken meeting is anticipated to cover a wide range of issues, including the importance of open communication channels, topics related to Taiwan, the South China Sea, and Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. According to a statement from State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller, Blinken stressed the need for responsible management of competition between the United States and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to prevent it from escalating into conflict.
Wang highlighted the critical nature of Blinken’s visit, emphasizing that both parties must make a choice between cooperation and conflict. He further stated that the challenges in bilateral relations stem from the US’ “erroneous perception of China,” which results in misguided policies. Wang urged Washington to abandon its “China threat theory,” lift sanctions against Beijing, and cease suppressing China’s technological development.
The meeting between President Xi and Secretary Blinken carries significant weight as tensions between China and the US continue to escalate, with ongoing trade disputes and geopolitical rivalry. This meeting presents an opportunity for both countries to address the issues fueling tensions and seek a path towards constructive dialogue and cooperation.
