Antony Blinken, the U.S. Secretary of State, recently concluded a trip to Beijing, where he had a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. This meeting aimed to attempt to stabilize the relations between the two nations, which have been tense due to disagreements on national security, economic matters, and geopolitical differences in areas like the Middle East, Ukraine, and Southeast Asia.
In their meeting, Xi expressed to Blinken that the U.S. and China should be allies instead of competitors. He proposed that the two global powers should support each other’s success rather than obstruct each other’s progress. Xi suggested three guiding principles for their relationship: mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation.
He mentioned that these principles are derived from past experiences and should act as a roadmap for the future. Xi voiced China’s aspiration for a thriving United States and expressed hope that Washington would have a similar vision for Beijing, enabling their bilateral relations to genuinely stabilize, enhance, and progress.
However, both Xi and Blinken recognized that substantial issues still pose a threat to the recent improvement in relations. Earlier, Blinken had a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who warned that their nations could either maintain stability and progress or revert to a downward spiral, possibly leading to conflict. Wang stressed that China has certain ‘red lines’ that the U.S. must not cross as their relationship is tested by ‘negative factors’.
Wang asserted that China’s legitimate development rights have been unfairly suppressed, and their core interests are under threat. He communicated this sentiment to Blinken.
The relationship between China and the U.S. has been volatile in recent years, worsened by factors such as a trade war, the visit of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan in 2022, and the controversy over the U.S. shooting down a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon last year.
US-China economic and tech competition
Beijing has characterized the trade between China and Russia as usual and has asserted that it should not be interfered with or limited. Blinken underscored the significance of guaranteeing healthy competition in the economic and technology sectors.
He highlighted that China is responsible for one-third of global production but only one-tenth of global demand, resulting in a trade imbalance. Blinken also voiced his apprehension about Chinese products being sold at lower prices, which the United States is against.
The considerable trade surplus that China has with the United States, along with allegations of intellectual property theft, has been a longstanding point of contention in bilateral relations. Blinken made it clear that this issue is not just a concern for the United States but also its European allies. He stated that the objective is not to contain China or sever trade and investment, but rather to ensure that trade practices are carried out fairly.
Differences over the South China Sea, Taiwan
China’s assertion of its claimed sovereignty over the entire South China Sea has led to numerous conflicts with its neighboring countries, including nations that are allies of the United States. One such ally is the Philippines.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi outlined Chinese complaints about US policies regarding the South China Sea and Taiwan, without providing specifics. He stated, “China’s legitimate development rights have been unreasonably suppressed, and our core interests are facing challenges.”
Blinken raised concerns about Beijing’s “dangerous actions in the South China Sea” and made clear that while the US will continue to de-escalate tensions, our defense commitments to the Philippines remain ironclad.”
Blinken added that the Biden administration places a premium on dialogue with China, even on issues of dispute. He acknowledged that there has been some progress in relations over the past year, but he also noted that talks would continue to be challenging.
Pressure on Russia
Blinken revealed that the United States and China will conduct their inaugural formal discussions on managing artificial intelligence in the upcoming weeks, which is a burgeoning area of concern as the technology progresses rapidly.
However, Blinken issued a caution concerning China’s backing for Russia’s ‘harsh war of aggression’ in Ukraine. He indicated that Beijing while refraining from direct arms exports, has assisted Russia in augmenting the production of rockets, drones, and tanks. Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, declared that he will make a trip to China in May.
“Russia would find it challenging to maintain its attack on Ukraine without the support of China,” Blinken stated, warning that the United States is ready to act against Beijing if it does not take action itself. Blinken recognized that China has been beneficial in the past, including in dissuading Russia’s use of nuclear weapons.
Wang Yi pledged to keep in contact with the United States on the Middle East, which is a crucial priority for Washington. Referring to China’s connections with Iran, whose covert war with Israel has become more apparent, Blinken stated: “I believe the relationships that China maintains can be beneficial in attempting to alleviate tensions, to prevent escalation, and to avoid the expansion of the conflict.”
Hopes For Progress
US officials and experts believe that Xi’s foremost priority is to manage headwinds in the Chinese economy and that, at least in the short term, he is looking to avoid flare-ups with the West.
Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, has declared that he will be visiting China in May. At the start of his meeting with Wang Yi, Blinken expressed that China and the U.S. should handle their relationship “responsibly.”
He added, “I hope we make some progress on the issues our presidents agreed on” at the summit in California. Blinken stressed that the two nations should be as “clear as possible about the areas where we have differences – at the very least to avoid misunderstandings, to avoid miscalculations.” He further mentioned, “That really is a shared responsibility that we have not only for our own people but for people around the world, given the impact that our relationship has.”
Biden, who recently had a phone conversation with Xi Jinping, is up against a challenging re-election campaign in November against his predecessor Donald Trump, who has depicted China as an adversary and pledged to adopt a tough stance. The Biden administration has underscored diplomatic victories with China, including what officials assert is Beijing’s first crackdown in years on manufacturers of precursor chemicals for fentanyl, the painkiller that is the cause of an addiction crisis in the United States. However, while being open to collaboration, Biden has ramped up pressure on China in some areas beyond what Trump did.
The most recent action saw the U.S. Congress, with Biden’s backing, vote to compel the divestment of TikTok from Chinese firm ByteDance or face a ban in the United States. U.S. officials have raised security and privacy concerns over the app, which has gained popularity among U.S. teenagers. ByteDance refutes the allegations and has maintained that it has no plans of selling.
