Xi Jinping urges Antony Blinken to uphold US commitments and address existing issues

During a meeting in Beijing on Friday, Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed the importance of the United States being true to its word in order to address unresolved issues in the bilateral relationship. Xi emphasized the need for respect, cooperation, and mutual benefit between China and the US, highlighting the importance of seeking common ground and being faithful to words while taking decisive actions.

Xi acknowledged that despite progress made in recent months, there are still many challenges that need to be addressed in the relationship. He stressed the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries and the importance of being partners rather than rivals, focusing on achieving mutual benefits and finding areas of agreement while setting aside differences.

The Chinese president also emphasized the need for dialogue, managing differences, and promoting cooperation in the face of profound changes in the international landscape. Xi expressed hope for a confident, open, prosperous, and developing United States, while also calling for a positive vision of China’s development from the US.

Xi referenced his meeting with President Joe Biden in San Francisco last November and the progress made since then, while also acknowledging that there are still issues to be resolved. This was the second time Xi met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Beijing, with discussions about growing problems in bilateral relations and areas of disagreement.

The meeting between Blinken and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi also highlighted concerns about negative factors affecting the relationship, with the US Senate’s recent bill regarding TikTok further complicating matters. Despite the legislation, the parent company of TikTok, ByteDance, has no intention of selling the application and plans to challenge the law in court.

Overall, the meetings in Beijing underscored the need for honesty, cooperation, and dialogue to address the challenges in the China-US relationship and move towards a more stable and prosperous future.