U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in China on Wednesday for his second visit within a year, signaling a continued effort to implement the common understandings reached by the two heads of state at their meeting in San Francisco last year. China welcomes this gesture as a positive step toward improving bilateral relations.
Since the San Francisco summit, China and the United States have engaged in a series of dialogues across various levels and fields. Blinken’s visit follows closely after U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen’s trip to China in April. Senior officials from both countries have maintained contact through visits, phone calls, and working group meetings in sectors including foreign affairs, economy, climate change, agriculture, and law enforcement. Military-to-military dialogues have also resumed.
While dialogue is essential for fostering mutual understanding and preventing miscalculations, China is concerned that recent actions by the United States may undermine these efforts. Despite expressing a desire for improved relations, the U.S. has enacted measures that China perceives as contradictory to the spirit of cooperation.
For instance, just hours before Blinken’s arrival, the U.S. Senate passed the Indo-Pacific Security Supplemental bill, allocating $8 billion toward efforts in Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific region in a move seen as countering China. This action comes despite the United States’ repeated pledges of not supporting “Taiwan independence.” Additionally, U.S. President Joe Biden signed a bill requiring TikTok’s China-based parent company to sell its U.S. operations within 270 days or face a ban, disregarding China’s calls for fair competition.
China urges the United States to translate its commitments into concrete actions that reflect genuine goodwill. True progress in China-U.S. relations hinges on mutual respect and adherence to agreements made by both sides. As high-level engagements continue, China looks forward to collaborative efforts that will contribute to global stability and prosperity.
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China welcomes Blinken, but anticipates real goodwill actions
cgtn.com
