US Secretary of State Antony Blinken embarked on a crucial diplomatic mission to Beijing on Sunday, where he had meetings with Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang and top diplomat Wang Yi. This visit is significant because it is the highest-level American official visit to China since Joe Biden assumed the presidency, and it’s been nearly five years since a US secretary of state visited the country.
Blinken’s original travel plans in February were disrupted by reports of an alleged Chinese spy balloon flying over US airspace. Although tensions have continued between the two nations since then, the US ultimately shot down the alleged spy balloon. Beijing insisted that the balloon was an unnamed weather tracker that had veered off course.
During his two-day visit, Blinken is scheduled to have a working dinner with Qin at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse. There are also reports suggesting that he may have a meeting with President Xi Jinping on Monday. However, expectations for a significant improvement in US-China relations remain low.
According to State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller, Blinken’s discussions will focus on maintaining open lines of communication, raising concerns about bilateral issues, and exploring potential cooperation on shared transnational challenges. The Covid-19 pandemic has limited contact between the US and Chinese governments, including a lack of formal meetings between the US defense chief and his Chinese counterpart.
The visit by Blinken also follows a controversial trip to Taiwan by Nancy Pelosi, fueling Beijing’s displeasure. China regards Taiwan as part of its territory and objects to any form of independent diplomatic relations maintained by the island. In contrast, the US recognizes Beijing as the sole legal government of China while maintaining unofficial relations with Taiwan.
In addition to Blinken’s visit, there are expectations for a November meeting between President Biden and President Xi. This could potentially happen during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders’ Summit in San Francisco. Furthermore, other high-ranking US officials, such as the commerce secretary and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, are also expected to engage with their Chinese counterparts.
The overall goal of Blinken’s visit is to cool down tensions and enhance communication between the US and China. However, the outcome remains uncertain as both countries have deep-rooted differences on various issues. Nonetheless, this visit marks an important step in diplomatic relations between the two nations.
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