MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

US-China ties: Blinken, Qin try to keep dialogue channels open

Blinken's trip is to conclude following further meetings with Chinese officials on Monday.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang for more than five hours Sunday to keep channels open as the two countries are -in Quin's words- “at their lowest point since the establishment of diplomatic relations.”

Qin insisted the current bilateral relations “do not meet the fundamental interests of the two peoples or the common expectations of the international community.”

The Chinese Foreign Minister made “clear demands on China's core interests and major concerns, including the Taiwan issue.”

Qin said the Taiwan question was the most consequential issue and the most pronounced risk in the China-US relationship. The Chinese side urged the US side to abide by the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiqués, and truly deliver on its commitment of not supporting “Taiwan independence.” China considers Taiwan a rogue province and has vowed to seize control of it by force if necessary.

“China's policy toward the US has always maintained continuity and stability, and is fundamentally guided by the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and cooperation,” Qin added.

He also pointed out that his country was committed to building a “stable, predictable and constructive” relationship and hoped that the White House “will maintain an objective and rational perception of China, move in the same direction and handle unexpected eventualities calmly, professionally and rationally.”

According to CCTV, “the two sides held a long, frank, in-depth and constructive dialogue on the overall China-US relationship and other important related issues.”

The two delegations agreed to promote the expansion of educational exchanges, “actively” explore the possibility of increasing passenger flights between China and the United States, and “welcome more students, scholars, and businessmen to visit each other.”

Blinken invited his counterpart to visit the United States, where Qin was ambassador before being promoted to chancellor at the end of 2022. He raised “the importance of diplomacy and maintaining open channels of communication across the board to reduce the risk of miscalculation,” said US diplomatic spokesman Matthew Miller.

The Secretary of State also underlined “the importance of diplomacy and maintaining open channels of communication at all levels to reduce the risk of miscalculation.”

Blinken also expressed to his Chinese counterpart “a number of issues of concern” as well as “opportunities” on which Washington and Beijing can work together.

“The Secretary made clear that the United States will always defend the interests and values of the American people and will work with its partners and allies to promote a vision of a free world that upholds a rules-based international order,” Miller said.

Blinken became the highest-ranking US official to visit China since US President Joseph Biden took office in 2021. Blinken's trip to China is the first by a US secretary of state in about five years and it took place four months later than planned following the downing of an alleged Chinese spy balloon over US territory last February.