Antony Blinken to Hold Meeting with China’s President Xi Jinping in Beijing

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken concluded his visit to Beijing with an unexpected meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, emphasizing the significance of maintaining stable relations between the two nations after a period of tensions. The meeting took place at the Diaoyutai state guest house and lasted approximately 35 minutes. According to the U.S. State Department, Xi stated that the world requires a “generally stable” China-U.S. relationship. He further emphasized that finding the right approach to their interaction is crucial for the future and destiny of humanity. Xi expressed his hope that Blinken’s visit would contribute positively to stabilizing China-U.S. relations.

In response, Blinken acknowledged the need to stabilize bilateral ties between the U.S. and China, but also recognized the challenges in managing this relationship. He stated that the U.S. advocates for “de-risking and diversifying” economic engagement with China, aligning with the approach recently adopted by the G7. Blinken’s visit establishes him as the highest-level American official to visit China since President Joe Biden assumed leadership, and the first U.S. Secretary of State to make the trip in almost five years.

The meeting between Blinken and Xi could potentially pave the way for a future meeting between Biden and Xi, as the two world leaders last met in person during the G20 summit in Bali last year. Blinken’s encounters with senior Chinese officials showcased a positive and constructive tone focused on open channels of communication. He engaged in candid and substantive talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang and had discussions with top Chinese diplomat Wang Yi. The State Department emphasized the importance of responsibly managing the competition between the U.S. and China, ensuring it does not escalate into conflict.

Wang Yi, in a statement released by the Chinese foreign ministry, highlighted the critical juncture in Sino-U.S. relations during Blinken’s visit. He attributed difficulties in the countries’ ties to the U.S.’ “erroneous perception of China” and called for a shift in policies and perceptions. Wang urged Washington to abandon the “China threat theory,” lift sanctions against Beijing, and stop suppressing China’s technological development.

While business leaders like Elon Musk, Jamie Dimon, and Tim Cook have recently visited China, Xi Jinping held talks with Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, expressing the hope for continued friendship between the people of China and the U.S. Xi emphasized the importance of the relationship between the two peoples, referring to Gates as his “first American friend” in Beijing this year.

— CNBC’s Evelyn Cheng contributed to this report.