The meetings in Beijing between Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Xi Jingping and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, resulted in an exchange of reproaches and calls for collaboration between both superpowers. The communist regime warned of the dangerous "downward spiral" that relations between both countries are experiencing due to the growth of "negative factors" in recent times. Blinken, for his part, called on the Chinese president to intensify the fight against fentanyl and asked him to mediate to achieve peace in the Middle East.
In statements reported by AFP, the Chinese president pointed out that both economic powers should be "partners rather than adversaries," warning that there remains "many problems" to be resolved in their bilateral relations. However, Xi acknowledged that the two countries have "made some positive progress" since he met with US President Joe Biden late last year, according to the report by Chinese state channel CCTV.
The president said he proposed "three great principles" for the coexistence of both nations: "mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and beneficial cooperation for all. "The world is big enough to accommodate the simultaneous development and prosperity of both China and the United States," the Chinese president insisted.
Ukraine, Philippines and Fentanyl
For his part, Blinken exchanged criticism of the Asian giant with calls for cooperation. Firstly, he criticized his support for Russia in the war against Ukraine, ensuring that this conflict would not be possible without the support of the communist regime for Vladimir Putin. In addition, he warned him about "Beijing's dangerous actions in the South China Sea" near the Philippines: "I made it clear that, although the US will continue to reduce tensions, our defense commitments to the Philippines remain ironclad."
In addition, he demanded from the Chinese communist leader that his country intensify the fight against fentanyl trafficking that floods the streets of the United States, since a large part of the drug - or its basic components - comes from China. At the press conference, Blinken stressed that "I highlighted the importance of the PRC (People's Republic of China) taking additional measures, in particular to prosecute those who sell chemicals and equipment used to manufacture fentanyl."
Blinken also asked Xi for the Asian giant's involvement in the Middle East conflict, stating that "I believe that the relations that China maintains can be positive to try to calm tensions, avoid escalation, avoid the extension of the conflict.
Stop the "downward spiral" in bilateral relations
Previously, the Secretary of State had met for five hours with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, with whom he had "extensive and constructive conversations." At the meeting, Yi criticized the economic pressures of the Biden Administration, such as the veto on semiconductor exports and the approval of a law to ban Tik Tok in the US if it does not cut ties with its Chinese parent company, which is allegedly linked to the Communist Party from his country.
Wang noted that relations between both powers "were starting to stabilize" after the meeting in November in San Francisco between its presidents, but since then "they are creating and increasing negative factors in the relationship." In order not to continue in a "downward spiral," the Chinese foreign minister demanded that the United States "not exceed Beijing's red line" on sovereignty, security and development.
Taiwan, red line
According to the Chinese news agency Xinhua, Wang was especially forceful when speaking about Taiwan, which he considers the "first red line" that the US should not cross. According to the chancellor, China demands that the United States "respect the one-China principle" in both words and deeds. Thus, the US must refrain from sending wrong signals to the separatists of the "Taiwan independence," to fulfill the commitment of the American president Joe Biden not to support "Taiwan independence," not to support "two Chinas" or "one China, one Taiwan," and not to try to use the Taiwan issue as a tool to contain China.
Electoral interference
After the meeting with the Chinese leader, Blinken gave an interview to CNN. The U.S. diplomacy chief noted that the United States has indications that Beijing will attempt to "influence and possibly interfere" in the November elections.
"We have seen, generally speaking, evidence of attempts to influence and arguably interfere, and we want to make sure that that’s cut off as quickly as possible. Any interference by China in our election is something that we’re looking very carefully at and is totally unacceptable to us, so I wanted to make sure that they heard that message again," Blinken said.
Despite these claims, the communist regime has reiterated that it has never tried to interfere in U.S. elections.
