Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s recent visit to Beijing and the subsequent claims of satisfaction from both Blinken and the White House raise concerns. While President Xi Jinping did meet with Blinken and agreed to continue discussions, it appears that China is only willing to engage in dialogue if the US makes significant concessions. Unfortunately, Blinken did not even achieve his main objective of restoring military communication channels that were cut off by Beijing last year, despite the Biden administration presenting it as vital in avoiding potential conflict. Furthermore, the Chinese Communist Party has refused to meet with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
Significantly, Washington had to incentivize Beijing to hold this meeting by downplaying China’s escalating intelligence-gathering activities (such as the spy base in Cuba, spy balloons, and “secret police” stations within the US). Additionally, the US is delaying the declassification of intelligence regarding the origins of COVID-19. Furthermore, planned restrictions on investment in China related to its defense industry and the export of US semiconductor technology, which could bolster China’s military capabilities, are being stalled.
Considering these circumstances, it raises the question of whether the White House needs to continue refraining from taking decisive action in order to keep the talks going. It is worth noting that Blinken was initially scheduled to visit Beijing in February, but the spy-balloon incident prompted its cancellation. It is concerning that Washington had to make concessions to reinstate the trip. Even more worryingly, during the visit, Blinken appeared to give China a free pass on the spy balloon incident, stating that “that chapter should be closed.” This contradicts President Joe Biden’s earlier statement that the balloon carried significant spying equipment. Why is Blinken’s opinion suddenly dismissing the incident? Furthermore, Blinken’s statement on Taiwan, where he stated that the US does not support its independence, is a dangerous concession, despite the tough talk and plea to maintain the status quo.
Another puzzling aspect is Xi’s announcement that “the two sides” had reached agreement on specific issues, followed by his hope that Blinken would contribute positively to stabilizing China-US relations. The lack of transparency from Washington regarding these specific agreements is concerning. China’s Foreign Ministry mainly blamed the US for the low point in relations and demanded Washington to lift illegal sanctions and stop suppressing China’s technological development. It is evident that the Biden administration is desperate to maintain dialogue to the point of appeasement, fearful of offending Beijing and potentially making secret concessions. In crucial matters such as the spy balloon incident and the origins of the coronavirus, US leaders prioritize keeping the American public uninformed rather than holding China accountable. This appeasement strategy is flawed and dangerous.
The question remains: how much will the US give away for the sake of diplomacy?
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