US Secretary of State Antony Blinken concluded his high-stakes two-day visit to Beijing with a crucial meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The purpose of the meeting was to alleviate soaring tensions between the United States and China and establish a foundation for better communication.
The meeting took place at the Great Hall of the People and was seen as a pivotal moment in Blinken's visit, as neither side confirmed its occurrence until just an hour before when a State Department official announced it. A snub by President Xi would have dealt a significant blow to the effort of restoring and maintaining communication at senior levels between the two nations.
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Prior to meeting President Xi, Blinken had held talks with other senior Chinese officials, where both sides expressed a willingness to engage in dialogue but remained steadfast in their respective positions. This meeting with President Xi marked a critical step toward overcoming the existing differences, according to media reports.
Blinken's visit holds considerable significance as he is the highest-level US official to visit China since President Joe Biden took office, and he is the first secretary of state to make such a trip in five years. It is anticipated that his visit will pave the way for a new round of engagements between senior US and Chinese officials, potentially including a meeting between President Xi and President Biden in the coming months.
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While the talks aimed to address various contentious issues, including trade, Taiwan, human rights, and military assertiveness, both sides acknowledged the challenging nature of finding resolutions. Instead, the emphasis was placed on the establishment and maintenance of effective lines of communication.
In the previous round of talks, Blinken engaged in extensive discussions with Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang for nearly six hours. Despite the absence of immediate breakthroughs on the most challenging issues, both countries expressed a commitment to continue high-level discussions.
The significance of Blinken's visit was further underscored by the statement released by China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which described the current state of China-US relations as a critical juncture. The statement emphasized the need for a choice between dialogue or confrontation, cooperation or conflict. It also called on the US to rectify its erroneous perception of China and adopt correct policies towards the nation.
