Anthony Blinken, US Secretary of State, met with China’s President Xi Jinping. Since he started his term three years ago, it was Blinken’s first visit to Beijing. Both parties agreed to continue their diplomatic engagements and have frequent visits to explore more channels for dialogue and areas for cooperation. While there are key issues between the nations that remain unresolved, they believe that the two countries “can overcome various difficulties.”
On June 18, 2023, Anthony Blinken, US Secretary of State, met with China’s President Xi Jinping. Since he started his term three years ago, it was Blinken’s first visit to Beijing. Both parties expressed their intention to have a more stable relationship and avoid escalating into a conflict.
A high level of engagement between the two countries was evident at the Great Hall of the People.
US President Biden and China’s President Xi met last year on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia. Both the leaders had pledged to have more frequent communication and initially planned a meeting for February. However, the spy balloon incident caused a delay.
The relationship between China and the US is complex, as both hold firm positions on several issues, including Taiwan, trade, US policy towards China’s semiconductor sector, human rights, and Russia’s conflict with Ukraine.
Although China declined to cooperate with the US on military-to-military channels of communication, mainly due to US sanctions, both sides agreed to continue their diplomatic engagements and have frequent visits to explore more channels for dialogue and areas for cooperation.
Blinken stated that while there are key issues between the nations that remain unresolved, his “hope and expectation is we will have better communication, better engagement going forward.”
Xi also expressed hope and stated that China “hopes to see a sound and steady China-US relationship” and believes that the two countries “can overcome various difficulties.” “The two countries should properly handle Sino-US relations with an attitude of being responsible to history, the people and the world,” Xi added.
“Both sides agreed on follow-on senior engagements in Washington and Beijing to continue open lines of communication,” according to the State Department.
The Secretary of State also met Foreign Minister Qin Gang and invited him to visit the U.S. and they agreed to schedule a reciprocal visit at a mutually suitable time, according to the statement.
China never shut its door towards the US but due to the unfortunate Spy balloon incident, the US at the time felt betrayed by the Chinese, and this, in turn, escalated tensions and delayed any sign of rapprochement. Although, with China’s assurance and the latest visit, the misconceptions seem to be reducing.
Furthermore, with China wielding its power in the Middle East by President Xi Jinping paying a state visit to Saudi Arabia and signing billion-dollar deals, the US grew wary over its eroding power in the region. Nevertheless, this visit has sighed relief to the world community as the world’s superpowers are approaching easing tensions.
However, just a day after the meeting (20th June 2023) between Blinken and Xi, US President Biden called Xi a dictator at a fundraising in California. Xi has not publicly responded to Biden’s comments but they are unlikely to go down well in Beijing and might jeopardize their relationship returning to a stable footing.
