Chinese leader Xi Jinping expressed on Monday that he witnessed progress in the tense relationship with the United States during a rare visit by Secretary of State Antony Blinken. However, the rival powers still disagreed on their fundamental disputes.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping said Monday he saw headway in the strained relationship with the United States on a rare visit by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, but the rival powers remained at odds over their core disputes.
Both sides had played down prospects for breakthroughs, with Blinken saying his more than 11 hours of talks over two days were more about restoring dialogue.
Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang agreed to pay a return visit to the United States but Blinken acknowledged limited progress on jumpstarting communication with China’s military, a key priority for the United States as tensions simmer over Taiwan.
Wang also issued a warning on Taiwan, the self-ruling democracy claimed by Beijing.
US officials, fearing that China in the coming years will try to seize Taiwan, insist that Washington’s sales of weapons to the island are meant only to preserve the status quo.
Tensions between China and the United States have soared in recent years with both President Joe Biden and his predecessor Donald Trump calling Beijing the most serious threat to long-term US global primacy.
Biden has kept Trump’s hard line on China and in some areas gone further, including banning exports of high-end semiconductors to the rising power.
Biden and Xi will next have an opportunity to meet in September at the latest G20 summit in New Delhi.
Xi has also been invited to San Francisco in November as the United States leads the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.
Khalil Wakim, with AFP
