19-6-2023 (BEIJING) U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken continued his visit to Beijing on Monday, engaging in a meeting with Wang Yi, the director of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee Foreign Affairs Commission Office. While there were expectations of Blinken meeting with Chinese leaders, the U.S. State Department did not confirm this news.
Blinken arrived in Beijing on Sunday aboard a special plane and held extensive discussions with China’s State Councillor and Foreign Minister, Qin Gang, at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse. The meeting between the two officials lasted for five and a half hours, followed by a working dinner at the guesthouse that extended for approximately two hours.
Late at night, both China’s Foreign Ministry and the U.S. State Department released statements regarding the talks between the two foreign ministers. The statements highlighted the agreement between the two sides to effectively manage their differences, foster dialogue, communication, and cooperation, and maintain high-level exchanges. Additionally, Blinken extended an invitation to Qin to visit the United States, to which Qin expressed his willingness to visit at a mutually convenient time.
The meeting between Blinken and Wang takes place against the backdrop of escalating tensions between the United States and China, encompassing various issues such as human rights abuses in Xinjiang, the preservation of democracy in Hong Kong, and the matter of Taiwan’s independence. The U.S. has also expressed criticism of China’s actions in the South China Sea and its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
