Blinken Speaks with Chinese Foreign Minister Ahead of Expected High-Stakes Visit to Beijing

By Staff, Agencies

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with China’s foreign minister by phone on Wednesday, a call that comes ahead of a highly anticipated expected visit by Washington’s top diplomat to Beijing as the two superpowers try to improve the dismal state of their ties.

In his call with Qin Gang, Blinken discussed “the importance of maintaining open lines of communication” to responsibly manage US-China relations to “avoid miscalculation and conflict,” US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement.

Blinken also addressed a range of bilateral and global issues, and made clear “the US would continue to use diplomatic engagements to raise areas of concern as well as areas of potential cooperation,” according to the statement.

China’s readout of the call was noticeably more pointed, underscoring the deep distrust that lingers between Beijing and Washington.

Qin told Blinken the US should “show respect” on China’s core concerns such as the Taiwan issue.

Qin also urged the US to “stop interfering in China’s internal affairs” and “stop undermining China’s sovereignty, security and development interests in the name of competition,” according to a statement from China’s Foreign Ministry.

Since then, already tense relations between US and China have become palpably more fraught, with issues over Taiwan, the South China Sea and chip export restrictions fueling tensions.

China’s Communist Party claims self-ruled, democratic Taiwan, despite having never ruled it, and has vowed to one day “unite” it with the mainland, by force in necessary.

It also claims historic jurisdiction over almost the entirety of the vast South China Sea and has built up tiny reefs and sandbars into artificial islands heavily fortified with missiles, runways and weapons systems – sparking outcry from the other claimants.

In a veiled criticism, Qin appeared to blame the US for the heightened tensions in recent months in his call with Blinken, according to the Chinese readout.

“Since the beginning of this year, China-US relations have encountered new difficulties and challenges, and the responsibility is clear,” Qin said, adding that China had always handled relations with the US according to the principles of “mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation” put forward by Chinese leader Xi Jinping.