The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, considered this Monday that his visit to China has been “a positive step” in the objective of managing the bilateral relationship “responsibly”, although “far from it” has solved suddenly the problems and disagreements between the two powers.
“It was clear that the relationship was at a point of instability and both parties recognized that it had to be stabilized,” said the head of US diplomacy at a press conference in Beijing at the end of his two-day trip.
Blinken hoped that, from now on, there would be better communication between Beijing and Washington: “This is not going to suddenly solve all the problems or disagreements that exist between us, but we both agree that it is critical to manage the relationship responsibly,” he said.
rivalry without conflict
He also stressed that he carried out “all the objectives of the trip”, which were “to establish direct channels of communication, address issues of concern and explore cooperation on issues of mutual interest, among which he cited the climate, global economic stability, the health, the fight against fentanyl trafficking and “people to people” exchanges.
He insisted on the importance of this visit for “stabilize the relationship and be able to raise issues face to face” that worry the United States and in which there are “profound differences”, something that – he considered – “was done to a great extent”.
“It is beneficial to know that there is clarity between us on these issues,” he added, and stressed the importance of maintaining open channels of communication to ensure “that competition does not become a conflict.”
Blinken advanced that, as a result of the trip, new visits by high-level US representatives to China will take place in the coming weeks and he hoped that these trips would be reciprocal.
The US “does not support” the independence of Taiwan
On Taiwan, one of the issues that generates the greatest friction between Washington and Beijing, the diplomat reiterated that his country does not support the “independence” of the island, although he defined as “provocative actions” those carried out by China in the Strait and in the Sea Southern.
“We continue to oppose any unilateral change to the ‘status quo’ by any of the parties and we continue to wait for the peaceful resolution of the differences,” said the head of US diplomacy.
He also added that they remain “committed” to their “responsibilities” under the Taiwan Relations Law, among which he highlighted the duty to ensure that the island “has the ability to defend itself.”
Blinken stressed international concern about a possible conflict in the Strait, which “would produce an economic crisis” that would affect “the whole world.”
“50% of commercial container traffic passes through the Taiwan Strait every day. 70% of semiconductors are made in Taiwan. If as a result of a crisis, that were disconnected, it would have dramatic consequences for practically all the countries in the world”, assured the Secretary of State.
Thus, he stressed that the president of the United States, Joe Biden “firmly believes” that “responsible management” during the last five decades of the so-called “Taiwan question” is one of the most “successful” and “essential” aspects of the relationship between the two countries.
Taiwan is governed autonomously under the official name of the Republic of China since 1949, when the Kuomintang nationalists withdrew there after losing the Chinese civil war against the communists, for which Beijing continues to consider it a rebel province and claims its sovereignty.
Blinken met with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday after previous meetings with Foreign Minister Qin Gang and the head of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Foreign Affairs Commission and top Chinese diplomat, Wang Yi.
With information from Efe.
Keep reading:
• Blinken arrived in China for a high-level visit amid rising tensions
• Antony Blinken accused China of not cooperating to curb production and trafficking of fentanyl
• Blinken’s visit to China: it is urgent to restore communication between Washington and Beijing
Source: La Opinion
