Beijing, 26 April 2024 (TDI): United States Secretary of State Anthony J. Blinken concluded his three-day trip to China which came in midst of rising tensions between the two Countries.
Anthony Blinken visited China at the invitation of the Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC (Communist Party of China) Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Wang Yi.
During the first day of visit, Anthony Blinken arrived in Shanghai where he met with Shanghai Party Secretary Chen Jining. During the meeting the Secretary raised concerns about China’s trade policies and market economic practices.
Furthermore, the two sides reaffirmed the importance of ties between the people of China and United States, including the expansion of exchanges between students, scholars, and business.
Following the meeting, the Secretary engaged in a discussion session with students from New York University Shanghai and attended a game of basketball.
Moreover, he held talks with the business leaders in Shanghai. The Secretary in his statement highlighted Shanghai as the hub of economic activity and a real hub of connection between the United States and China when it comes to business and trade.
Blinken in Beijing
On Friday the US Secretary of state arrived in Beijing where he engaged in meetings with top political leadership including Foreign Minister Wang Yi and the President of China Xi Jinping.
During his meeting with Foreign Minister Wang Yi, the Foreign Minister noted that the overall China-US relations have been stabilized from further deterioration, but negative factors continue to rise and build.
He emphasized that China’s approach, position and expectations when it comes to bilateral relations have been consistent. We always view and develop this relationship considering the need for a community with a shared future for humanity.
He also added that China proposes to respect each other’s core interests and urges the US side not to interfere in China’s internal affairs, suppress China’s development, or cross China’s red lines when it comes to China’s sovereignty, security, and development interests.
President Xi while meeting with Anthony Blinken recalled his meeting with President Biden during the Woodside Summit in November last year.
He underlined that the visit this time was agreed upon between President Biden and him in their phone call several weeks ago.
Furthermore, Chinese President said that China is happy to see a confident, open, prosperous and thriving United States, and hopes the United States can also look at China’s development in a positive light.
Xi expressed that for China US relationship to truly stabilize, improve and move forward the fundamental issues must be addressed just like as the first button of a shirt that must be put right.
Moreover, the president emphasized that China and the United States should be partners rather than rivals, help each other succeed rather than hurt each other, seek common ground and reserve differences, rather than engage in vicious competition, and honor words with actions, rather than say one thing but do the opposite.
The President said that he has many times stressed that the planet is big enough to accommodate the common development and respective prosperity of both China and the United States.
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But there are still issues to be addressed which require further efforts.
Recent tensions between China and United States
The United States over the past few days has accused China over the normal trade and economic exchanges between China and Russia.
It was also reported that US is drafting sanctions on some Chinese financial institutions hoping it will stop China’s support of Russian military production.
In response, the Chinese Ministry for North American Affairs opposed the threat of unilateral sanctions on Chinese companies adding that Ukraine issue is not an issue between China and the United States.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry highlighted that US is making groundless accusations against economic exchanges between China and Russia, while passing a bill providing a large amount of aid for Ukraine.
The ministry quoted it as hypocritical and highly irresponsible.
Moreover, United States and other western nations have lately accused China of overcapacity. Spokesperson Chinese Ministry of commerce citied the allegations as a double standard.
He added that the issue of production capacity should be fully examined in the context of economic globalization, considering the facts of global division of labor and the global market, and adhering to an objective, fair and scientific stance.
Also, from a global perspective, there is no overcapacity in the new energy industry, but a shortage of production capacity, he said.
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