Secretary of State Antony Blinken wrapped up his latest visit to China last Friday by holding talks with President Xi Jinping.
Blnken kicked off his three-day visit in Shanghai last Wednesday where he attended a basketball playoff. He then met with Chen Jining, the Chinese Communist Party Secretary of Shanghai.
The Secretary of State also met with local business leaders and students in Shanghai.
On arriving in Bejing on Thursday, Blinken held talks with his Chinese counterpart, Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
The two diplomats discussed the importance of keeping communications between the countries open and conceded that there remained divisions between Washington and Beijing.
During the talks, Wang highlighted some of the “negative factors” between the US and China that have caused “disruptions” in relations between the two countries.
The Foreign Minister warned that Washington’s policies and positions on Taiwan and the disputed South China Sea territory, as well as its accusations of human rights abuses against Beijing, were suppressing the “legitimate development rights” of China.
Wang warned Secretary of State Blinken that the US must stop its interference in China’s internal affairs, especially the “red lines” on China’s sovereignty and security.
Blinken held talks with President Xi on Friday where he said the United States was committed to strengthening the lines of communication between the two countries to avoid miscommunication, “miscalculations,” and “misperceptions.”
He said the US sought to advance bilateral cooperation on military communication, counternarcotics efforts, and artificial intelligence.
Speaking to reporters following his meeting with President Xi, Blinken raised concern over China’s continued support for Russia in the war in Ukraine. He said without China’s support, Russia would “struggle” to continue the war. He said China’s ongoing material support for Russia was not only a threat to Ukraine but to the whole of Europe.
