A Bid to Ease Tensions and Stabilize Bilateral Ties: Antony Blinken Visits China

Antony Blinken and Qin Gang
Image Credit: Google

United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken has embarked on a high-level two days trip to China where he met his counterpart Qin Gang in Beijing, marking the first visit by a US official in nearly five years.

The objective of the visit is to stabilize the bilateral ties between the two powers, which have been strained in recent times.

Despite their differences on various issues, both countries have expressed hopes of improving communication, although expectations for significant breakthroughs remain low.

The Spy Balloon Incident:

Blinken's trip was initially scheduled for February but was delayed due to the discovery of a suspected spy balloon above the US.

The incident caused some tension, but US President Joe Biden downplayed it, stating that he believed it to be more embarrassing than intentional.

Biden expressed his desire to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping again to discuss differences and find areas of common ground.

“I’m hoping that, over the next several months, I’ll be meeting with Xi again and talking about legitimate differences we have but also how there’s areas we can get along,” Biden said.

Both the leaders are expected to meet in the side-lines of upcoming G20 summit schedule in September at New Delhi, and Xi has been invited to travel to San Francisco in November when the US hosts leaders from the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) grouping.

Efforts to Improve Communication:

During the visit, Blinken is expected to meet with top Chinese officials and attend a banquet at the state guesthouse in the Diaoyutai gardens.

A phone call between Blinken and his Chinese counterpart Qin Gang highlighted the heightened tensions between the two countries.

Beijing is seeking assurances from the US;

a. that it will respect China's domestic affairs and,

b. Chinese core interests, particularly regarding Taiwan.

Low Expectations for Breakthrough:

While expectations for significant breakthroughs from the visit are low, the visit itself holds significance.

China's neighboring countries are concerned about the deteriorating relationship between the US and China and the potential for escalating tensions.

There is a fear that these tensions could lead to open conflict.

Military clashes over Taiwan and disagreements on trade, China's semiconductor industry, and human rights records are among the factors contributing to the strained relations.

Objectives of Blinken's Trip:

Blinken outlined three main objectives for his trip.

Firstly:

He aims to establish crisis management mechanisms between the US and China.

Secondly:

He intends to advance the interests of the US and its allies while addressing concerns.

Thirdly:

He seeks to explore areas of potential cooperation to prevent competition from escalating into conflict.

Effective communication is seen as the starting point for avoiding conflicts.

Engagement with Allies:

Prior to his visit, Blinken engaged with US allies to keep them informed and involved.

He spoke with his counterparts from Japan and South Korea during his journey and focused on maintaining close relations with these countries.

Additionally, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan traveled to Tokyo for separate meetings involving Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines.

The US has recently reached agreements on troop deployments in strategic locations near Taiwan.

Singapore's Perspective:

Blinken also met with the foreign minister of Singapore, a US ally, before departing for China.

Singapore expressed its hope that the US would continue to be a significant power while finding ways to coexist with a rising China.

Blinken’s “trip is essential, but not sufficient”, Singapore’s foreign minister Vivian Balakrishnan was quoted by Al-Jazeera as saying.

The foreign minister emphasized the need for mutual respect and strategic trust to be built over time.

Although there are fundamental differences in outlook and values between the US and China.

Lastly:

Antony Blinken's visit to China as the US Secretary of State is aimed at stabilizing the bilateral ties between the two countries.

While tensions and disagreements exist on various fronts, both China and the US have expressed cautious optimism about improving communication.

The visit holds significance in preventing the escalation of tensions and potential conflicts.

Efforts to establish crisis management mechanisms, advance mutual interests, and explore areas of cooperation will be key elements of Blinken's discussions during his visit.

(Courtesy: Al-Jazeera)