During Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit to China, he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss resuming military-to-military communication. However, there was no breakthrough during the two days of meetings, and Blinken described the effort as a “work in progress.” The purpose of Blinken’s visit was to alleviate tensions and find areas of agreement between the two countries.
In an interview with Margaret Brennan, the moderator of “Face the Nation” and CBS News chief foreign affairs correspondent, Blinken was asked if President Xi had rejected the idea of opening a direct line of contact between the two militaries. Blinken acknowledged that China had shut down military communication after the U.S. downed a Chinese spy balloon earlier this year, but assured that they are still working towards an agreement to reopen those lines of communication to avoid any accidental conflicts.
Blinken emphasized the significance of establishing and strengthening lines of communication across both governments. He stressed the importance of military-to-military communication and expressed the need to avoid any competition escalating into a conflict. While a concrete agreement has not been reached yet, Blinken stated that they will continue working towards it.
Blinken made it clear to his Chinese counterparts that maintaining military-to-military communication is in the best interest of both countries. They share a common goal of preventing conflicts caused by miscommunication or misunderstanding. He emphasized that President Biden sent him to Beijing to manage the relationship between the United States and China responsibly, as it is in the interest of both countries and the world.
This trip marked the first visit by a secretary of state to China since 2018, and its purpose was to ease tensions that have arisen recently, particularly due to the spy balloon incident. Blinken acknowledged that although they both agree on the need to stabilize their relationship, there are still deep divisions on several issues.
In conclusion, Blinken’s meetings with President Xi Jinping in Beijing aimed at resuming military-to-military communication, but no breakthrough was achieved. However, they remain committed to working towards an agreement to avoid any accidental conflicts. Both sides recognize the importance of clear communication and understanding to responsibly manage their relationship. Despite existing divisions on various issues, efforts are being made to stabilize the relationship.
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