Chinese President Xi Jinping has met US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to discuss what China has described as a possible downward spiral in relations. Blinken is visiting for the second time in less than a year as relations between the two countries continue to be strained. Xi’s remarks after that meeting seemed to support the American view that China does not seek confrontation.
Blinken said he also had “extensive and constructive” conversations with Foreign Minister Wang Yi. A US official said he directly raised areas of difference including Russia, Taiwan and trade. China has been infuriated by President Joe Biden‘s pressure on the economic front — including a sweeping ban on semiconductor exports.
Wang told Blinken that relations between the world’s two largest economies were “beginning to stabilise”.
He said: “China‘s legitimate development rights have been unreasonably suppressed and our core interests are facing challenges”. Immediately after their meeting, Xi said the two countries should seek common ground rather than engaging in vicious competition, and that there had been progress in talks in recent months. In the meeting with Wang, Blinken also raised concerns about China‘s support for Russia, which is fighting a war against Ukraine.
The Biden administration has highlighted wins achieved by its diplomacy with China including what officials say is the first crackdown in years by Beijing on producers of precursor chemicals to fentanyl, the painkiller behind an addiction epidemic in the United States. But while open to co-operation, Biden has increased pressure on China in certain areas.
In the latest move, the US Congress, with Biden’s support, voted to force the divestment of TikTok from Chinese company ByteDance or risk a ban in the United States. US officials allege security and privacy concerns over the app, which has taken off amongst US teenagers. ByteDance denies the allegations and has insisted it has no intention of selling. Details of the latest discussions over Tiktok during the visit haven’t been disclosed.
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