Blinken's trip to China: Three subjects that can take precedence in the discussion

Blinken's trip to China: Three subjects that can take precedence in the discussion

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken addresses a press conference in Beijing on June 19, 2023, following a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.(Getty)

 US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has traveled to Beijing for a two-day visit with Chinese officials. This is his first trip to China as part of any American diplomatic delegation in the past five years. This was reported by BBC on Sunday.

Analysts consider Blinken's visit as an attempt to cool down the tense relationship between China and the United States. The trip was planned five months ago for Secretary of State Antony Blinken. However, it was postponed after the suspicious launch of a Chinese spy balloon in the US sky. The balloon was destroyed by a US military aircraft. However, China claimed that they had launched it for weather observation purposes.

According to BBC's report, both the United States and China have lowered their expectations for this visit and both sides have made it clear that they do not expect any major progress.

During the visit to China, Blinken has discussions scheduled with Chinese diplomats, but it is unclear whether he will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping. On the other hand, last Friday, President Xi Jinping had a meeting with the co-founder of Microsoft, Bill Gates, in Beijing.

However, analysts believe that three issues will be given more importance during Blinken's visit. According to BBC's report, these issues are: repairing the relationship, reducing trade conflicts, and avoiding war.

Repairing the relationship:

Since assuming office, Blinken is the highest-ranking official in the US government to visit China. The first step of this visit is to resolve any kind of diplomatic misunderstanding. Prior to this, the senior officials of the two countries met in Vienna last month and made initial efforts to find a solution.

On the other hand, China's reaction to Blinken's visit has been somewhat cool. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke to US Secretary of State Blinken on the phone on Wednesday night and made it clear who is responsible for the recent deterioration in relations.

Wang told Blinken, "The United States should respect China's concerns. It is necessary to stop interfering in China's internal affairs. The United States should abandon its arrogance of global hegemony, security, and development."

Senior East Asia diplomat at the State Department, Daniel J. Kritenbrink, said, "The way they respond to each other will not lead to any progress. To fix the relationship, both countries need to show their interest."

Reducing trade conflicts:

The relationship with China started on a rough note with President Biden. He was not eager to cancel the trade arrangements initiated by Donald Trump. Among them is the imposition of billions of dollars in tariffs on Chinese-made products.

Furthermore, Biden has imposed more restrictions on American computer chip exports to China in an effort to maintain American superiority in electronics. In response, China has imposed sanctions on the sale of computer memory chips from the American company Micron.

Avoiding war:

The tensions between China and the United States have raised concerns about the possibility of military conflict. The two countries have been engaged in military exercises in the region, increasing the risk of an accidental clash. Both sides need to take measures to avoid any escalation.

In conclusion, Blinken's visit to China is significant, considering the current strained relations between the two countries. The focus will be on repairing the relationship, reducing trade conflicts, and preventing war.