Xi, Blinken agree to stabilize US-China relations in rare Beijing talks

BEIJING (Reuters) – China and the United States agreed on Monday to try to stabilize their bitter rivalry to avoid a slide into conflict, but did not announce any major breakthroughs during a rare visit to Beijing by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Chinese President Xi Jinping hailed “progress” after shaking hands with Blinken in the Great Hall of the People, a large venue usually reserved for greeting heads of state.

Blinken, the first to meet the Chinese leader since 2018, told reporters he had raised divisive issues such as Taiwan, the democratic island that Beijing claims as its own.

While he said the two sides have not moved forward with establishing regular military contacts – a major concern of the wider world – he expected more senior US officials to visit China in the coming weeks.

It was hoped their meeting, which lasted about 30 minutes, would help facilitate a summit between Xi and US President Joe Biden later in the year.

Biden and Xi last met on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, in November, and pledged more frequent contacts, though relations have soured since then over Taiwan, spying accusations and other concerns.

“The two sides also made progress and reached agreement on some specific issues. This is very good,” Xi told Blinken across a long table decorated with pink lotus flowers.

Blinken responded by saying that the two countries “have an obligation and a responsibility” to manage their relationship and that the United States is “committed to doing so.”

He added that his meetings in Beijing, including talks with China’s top diplomat Wang Yi and Foreign Minister Qin Gang, were “frank and constructive.”

It was not immediately clear from Xi’s remarks what progress he was referring to, though he did tell Blinken that China “hopes to see a sound and steady relationship between China and the United States” and believes the two countries “can overcome various difficulties,” according to the Chinese readout. of conversations.

He also urged the United States not to “harm China’s legitimate rights and interests,” referring to potential flashpoints such as Taiwan.

Taiwan’s core issue

The lack of regular, open channels of communication between the world’s two largest economies has sparked tension around the world, and Beijing’s reluctance to engage in regular military talks with Washington has worried China’s neighbours.

But analysts said Xi’s comments, and the diplomatic dance of the visit, appeared to indicate a desire for progress.

“The Chinese messages are very positive,” said Wu Xinbo, professor and director at the Center for American Studies at Fudan University in Shanghai.

“China has shown that it still hopes to work with the United States to stabilize and improve relations. I think that while China is not optimistic about China-US relations, it has not lost hope either.”

Earlier on Monday, Blinken stressed the importance of open communication channels for managing her competition during more than three hours of talks with Wang, which the State Department called “productive.”

Describing relations between the United States and China as having reached a low point, Wang said the root cause is the United States’ misperception of China.

“We must take a responsible attitude towards the people, history and the world, and reverse the downward spiral of US-China relations,” Wang said during the meeting with Blinken, according to a statement from the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Blinken’s flight, which was delayed in February after a suspected Chinese spy balloon flew over US airspace, has been closely watched around the world as a further deterioration in relations could have global ramifications for financial markets, trade practices, roads and supply chains.

Beijing’s tone on Taiwan was particularly specific during Blinken’s visit. “China has no room for compromise or concessions,” Wang said, according to the Chinese statement.

The United States has long adhered to a policy of “strategic ambiguity” over whether to respond militarily to an attack on Taiwan, which Beijing has refused to rule out.

When asked last year, US President Joe Biden said Washington would defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion, though aides later said his comments did not reflect a departure from the longstanding “one China” policy.

US officials emphasized that the United States does not support Taiwan independence.

US officials have played down the possibility of a major breakthrough in the talks, but they and analysts expect Blinken’s visit to pave the way for more bilateral meetings in the coming months, including possible trips by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo.

Coverage by Humeyra Pamuk in Beijing. Additional reporting by Jason Zhieu in Shanghai, Sophie Yu, Yu Lun Tian, ​​Dominic Button and Joe Cash in Beijing, and Jenny Kao and Ben Blanchard in Taipei; Writing by Humeyra Pamuk and John Geddy; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore and Andrew Heavens

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