Beijing: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has landed in Beijing ahead of meetings with top Chinese officials. Earlier, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has called on Beijing and Washington to manage their differences and issues “responsibly” as he went on a charm offensive ahead of expected tough meetings.
A day before meeting Chinese leaders to tackle thorny matters including Taiwan, trade and Russia, Blinken’s trip to Shanghai has seen him sample local food, watch a basketball match and stroll along the city’s well-known Bund promenade.
Blinken has said that the US President Joe Biden was expressed resolve to “direct and sustained” talks between the world’s two main economies following years of mounting tension. Blinken said that he thought that it is significant to underline the value — in fact, the necessity — of direct engagement, of speaking to each other, laying out their differences, which are actual and seeking to work through them.
He said that the two countries should manage their ties responsibly. Beijing has not announced plans for US Secretary of State Blinken to meet President Xi, although on Blinken’s last trip in June, they saw each other in a meeting announced at 11th hour.
Blinken is likely to raise concerns regarding China’s ties with Russia when he meets Chinese leadership. Although US leaders were initially pleased that China has not shipped arms to Russia for its conflict in Ukraine, they now say that Beijing’s alarm at Russia’s setbacks on the battleground has prompted it to export vast quantities of industrial supplies to Moscow.
US authorities believe that China is more open to Western concerns as it seeks to focus on managing economic headwinds at home and wants to avert friction with the Western countries.
Recently, the US Congress has also approved law that would force the divestment of social media application TikTok from its Chinese owners or face a ban in the US.
