During his second visit to China in less than a year, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasized the importance of managing differences between the United States and China responsibly. The visit began with a trip to Shanghai, where Blinken attended a basketball match and explored the Bund promenade along the Huangpu River. In meetings with local Chinese leaders, Blinken expressed President Joe Biden’s commitment to establishing a direct and sustained dialogue between the two countries.
At New York University in Shanghai, Blinken spoke with students about the value of direct engagement and the importance of fostering people-to-people ties between the US and China. He also addressed concerns about the treatment of Chinese nationals arriving in the US and emphasized the need for both countries to cooperate for the well-being of their peoples and the future of humanity.
Blinken’s trip to Beijing will involve meetings with Chinese leaders to discuss areas of tension, such as trade practices and military assistance packages to countries like Taiwan. Despite recent strains in US-China relations, efforts to ease tensions have been ongoing, culminating in renewed contacts between the two countries’ armies and increased cooperation on various issues.
One key point of contention is China’s relationship with Russia, particularly in the context of providing dual-use equipment and technologies that facilitate Russia’s rearmament efforts. The passing of a US Congress law requiring the sale of TikTok by its Chinese parent company has also heightened tensions between the two countries. Both sides are expected to address these and other pressing issues during Blinken’s visit to Beijing.