HONG KONG — The United States and China touted “progress” following a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Chinese President Xi Jinping amid ongoing tension between the two countries.
The two men met in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing for 35 minutes.
“We have no illusions about the challenges of managing this relationship. There are many issues on which we profoundly, even vehemently, disagree,” Blinken said at a news conference after the meeting.
However, he stressed that both the United States and China share a responsibility to repair their relationship.
“It’s the responsibility of both countries to find a path forward, and it’s in both our interests and the interests of the world that we do so,” he said.
There was little progress on restoring several military-to-military communication channels, which Blinken called “absolutely vital”.
Blinken’s visit marks the first visit to China by a U.S. secretary of state since 2018, and Blinken is also the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit the country since President Joe Biden took office.
Prior to meeting with Xi, Blinken also met with Wang Yi, China’s top diplomat, and with Foreign Affairs Minister Qin Gang.
Wang blamed the U.S.’ “misperceptions” about China for their poor relations, saying Washington had to make a choice “between dialogue and confrontation”.
“We can, we will and we must take steps necessary to protect our national security,” Blinken said.
“And I heard the same from my Chinese counterparts,” Blinken continued. “We both agree on the need to stabilize our relationship.”
Biden, who was in California on Monday, said he had not spoken to Blinken but was being updated by his national security adviser Jake Sullivan.
Blinken said more U.S. officials could make the visit to China in the coming weeks, including Secretary Janet Yellen and Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry.
