Chinese President Xi Jinping and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken held a significant meeting in Beijing on Monday. President Xi urged the US to adopt a rational and pragmatic approach to avoid major-country competition and respect China’s legitimate rights and interests.
The meeting, closely observed by experts, is seen as an opportunity to inject confidence into the world amid growing concerns about potential conflicts between China and the US. Blinken’s two-day visit is expected to yield positive results and provide a clear roadmap for bringing bilateral relations back on track.
The meeting between Xi and Blinken signifies that the talks between Chinese and US senior diplomats over the weekend reached some consensus. This reflects China’s commitment to the stable development of China-US relations and sets the stage for future high-level interactions between the two countries.
President Xi emphasized the importance of a generally stable China-US relationship, stating that it would have a profound impact on the future and destiny of humanity. He highlighted the need to value the common interests of both countries and consider each other’s success as an opportunity rather than a threat. Xi called for responsible handling of China-US relations, urging both sides to act in the best interests of history, the people, and the world.
President Xi underscored that major-country competition does not represent the current trend of the times and cannot solve America’s own problems or global challenges. He emphasized China’s respect for US interests and its commitment not to challenge or replace the US. In return, the US was urged to respect China and refrain from harming its legitimate rights and interests.
During the meeting, observers took note of the blooming lotus flowers placed on the meeting table. The lotus symbolizes “peace” and “harmony” in Chinese, symbolizing the hope for peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation between the two countries.
The readout from the US side stated that the discussions between Xi and Blinken were candid, substantive, and constructive, covering key priorities in the bilateral relationship and global and regional issues. The two sides agreed to continue discussions on developing principles to guide the bilateral relationship, as previously discussed by President Biden and President Xi.
This meeting followed talks between Chinese senior officials and US Secretary Blinken, during which China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, pointed out the root cause of the strained China-US relations – the US’ erroneous perception of China leading to misguided policies. Wang called on the US to stop hyping the “China threat” narrative, lift unilateral sanctions on China, refrain from pressuring China’s technology and development, and cease interfering in China’s internal affairs.
Experts view Blinken’s meeting with President Xi as a positive outcome, demonstrating a willingness to initiate dialogue and reduce miscalculations. However, structural contradictions remain between China and the US, primarily due to the US viewing China as its most significant opponent. Enhanced communication and dialogue are crucial for both countries to manage their differences effectively.
Blinken conveyed President Biden’s belief in the responsible management of US-China relations, which aligns with the interests of both countries and the world. The US reiterates its commitment not to seek a new Cold War, change China’s system, direct alliances against China, support “Taiwan independence,” or seek conflict with China. The US was warned about the serious flaws in its policy toward China, particularly on the Taiwan question, which could destabilize the Taiwan Straits and heavily impact China-US relations.
Moving forward, Blinken expressed the US’s desire to maintain high-level engagements, open lines of communication, responsibly manage differences, and pursue dialogue, exchanges, and cooperation with China. The Chinese and US Foreign Ministers concluded a fruitful talk, agreeing to maintain high-level contacts and advance joint working groups to address specific issues. Additionally, people-to-people and educational exchanges will be expanded between the two countries.