Last week (April 24–26), US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken visited China, where he met with senior government officials, including President Xi Jinping. The visit is another milestone in the attempt of the superpowers to stabilize their relations and keep communication channels open at the senior level. However, despite the attempt of both parties to show “business as usual,” it’s difficult to hide the tensions and disagreements between them. The official announcements issued after the visit reflect the different perspectives of the two countries regarding their relations.
The announcement published by the US State Department highlighted the need to responsibly manage the competition between the countries while using high-level diplomatic channels to resolve disputes and promote cooperation between them. The announcement reviewed the main issues at hand in the dialogue between the countries, such as the fight against the spread of synthetic drugs, the strengthening of military communication channels to prevent friction and miscalculation, promoting dialogue in the field of artificial intelligence, and removing restrictions that harm academic and business cooperation.
The announcement also shared the US claims and requests from China. For example, it noted the claim that China’s unfair economic policies and its excess production capabilities are harming international trade, the American economy, and its national security, and therefore the United States will continue its policy of denying China access to advanced American technologies, which it misuses. Blinken also raised with President Xi the issue of the Americans being banned from leaving China, the erosion of Hong Kong’s autonomy, the violation of human rights in China, the Chinese support for the defense industries in Russia and its war in Ukraine, the tensions in the South China Sea, and, of course, the issue of Taiwan, which permanently clouds relations between the two powers.
In the announcement issued on behalf of President Xi Jinping after the meeting, there is almost no mention of the concrete issues at stake between the two countries. The announcement reiterates the principles proposed by President Xi to his counterpart, President Biden, for the management of “responsible relations” between the two superpowers: the development of a common understanding of relations, effective management of disputes, promotion of beneficial cooperation, joint bearing of the superpower responsibilities of the two countries, and the promotion of dialogue between the two peoples. President Xi also does not spare criticism of the United States and claims that it is establishing regional alliances designed to block China while the two countries are required to help each other to succeed, honor their words and express them with actions and not “say one thing and do another.”
Last week (April 24–26), US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken visited China, where he met with senior government officials, including President Xi Jinping. The visit is another milestone in the attempt of the superpowers to stabilize their relations and keep communication channels open at the senior level. However, despite the attempt of both parties to show “business as usual,” it’s difficult to hide the tensions and disagreements between them. The official announcements issued after the visit reflect the different perspectives of the two countries regarding their relations.
The announcement published by the US State Department highlighted the need to responsibly manage the competition between the countries while using high-level diplomatic channels to resolve disputes and promote cooperation between them. The announcement reviewed the main issues at hand in the dialogue between the countries, such as the fight against the spread of synthetic drugs, the strengthening of military communication channels to prevent friction and miscalculation, promoting dialogue in the field of artificial intelligence, and removing restrictions that harm academic and business cooperation.
The announcement also shared the US claims and requests from China. For example, it noted the claim that China’s unfair economic policies and its excess production capabilities are harming international trade, the American economy, and its national security, and therefore the United States will continue its policy of denying China access to advanced American technologies, which it misuses. Blinken also raised with President Xi the issue of the Americans being banned from leaving China, the erosion of Hong Kong’s autonomy, the violation of human rights in China, the Chinese support for the defense industries in Russia and its war in Ukraine, the tensions in the South China Sea, and, of course, the issue of Taiwan, which permanently clouds relations between the two powers.
In the announcement issued on behalf of President Xi Jinping after the meeting, there is almost no mention of the concrete issues at stake between the two countries. The announcement reiterates the principles proposed by President Xi to his counterpart, President Biden, for the management of “responsible relations” between the two superpowers: the development of a common understanding of relations, effective management of disputes, promotion of beneficial cooperation, joint bearing of the superpower responsibilities of the two countries, and the promotion of dialogue between the two peoples. President Xi also does not spare criticism of the United States and claims that it is establishing regional alliances designed to block China while the two countries are required to help each other to succeed, honor their words and express them with actions and not “say one thing and do another.”