US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s Visit to China
Restoring Communication Channels and Easing Tensions
(CNN) — US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is currently in Beijing for a high-profile visit aimed at improving US-China relations after months of strained ties between the two nations.
Both governments have expressed low expectations for the visit, with a senior State Department official stating that he does not anticipate “a long list of results.”
Instead, US officials view the trip as an opportunity to reestablish normal channels of communication with China in order to prevent conflicts between two major global powers.
“What we are working on during this trip is to further the agreement made by President Joe Biden and President Xi Jinping in Bali last year, which was to establish regular and sustained lines of communication at high levels of our governments. This is to ensure clear communication and minimize misunderstandings,” said Blinken at a news conference before his departure.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrives in Beijing, China, on June 18. Credit: Millis/Reuters
Blinken’s primary objective in China is to restore communication channels, particularly direct military-to-military communication, between Washington and Beijing, according to a senior State Department official.
The relationship between the Biden administration and Beijing is one of the most complex and consequential, marked by months of tension, including two recent military-related incidents.
Blinken’s visit, initially scheduled for February, was postponed due to the discovery of a suspected Chinese spy balloon transiting the US, which Blinken stated at the time “undermined the purpose of the trip.”
However, Daniel Kritenbrink, assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, stated that both the United States and China have agreed that now is the right time to engage at this level. However, he emphasized that the visit does not aim to achieve a breakthrough or transform the way the two countries treat each other.
“I think China’s agreement to this meeting reflects their confidence in their own position,” said Patricia Kim, a fellow at the Brookings Institution, during a news conference.
“Both sides have acknowledged that this visit will not fundamentally change the US-China relationship or resolve the many disputes between the two countries. There is a desire to manage expectations and not appear too eager to accept or agree with each other’s actions,” she explained.
Addressing Concerns and Exploring Cooperation
During his meetings with senior Chinese officials, Blinken intends to raise various concerns, including the fentanyl crisis, Taiwan and cross-straits issues, the war in Ukraine, and China’s detention of US citizens.
Regarding the fentanyl crisis, Blinken’s focus is specifically on stopping the flow of precursor chemicals from China to South American laboratories where fentanyl is produced.
Blinken also expressed his intention to “explore the potential for cooperation on transnational challenges such as global economic stability, illicit synthetic drugs, climate change, and global health.”
This visit follows a series of meetings between US and Chinese officials in recent weeks, indicating a gradual return to diplomatic engagement.
However, military contacts between the two countries remain frozen, and it remains uncertain whether Blinken’s visit can lead to a breakthrough in this area. China rejected an offer for a formal meeting between Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu in Singapore last month, although the two briefly spoke.
China’s leader, Xi Jinping, is expected to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders’ summit in the United States in November, regardless of the state of US-China relations. However, whether Xi’s visit will include a formal visit to the US depends on the progress made beforehand, according to experts.
Easing Tensions and Looking Ahead
President Biden expressed his belief that Blinken’s visit to China could help ease tensions, and he expressed his hope to meet with Xi again in the coming months.
China’s priorities lie in handling differences on the Taiwan issue and preventing supply chains, particularly in advanced chips, from becoming decoupled.
“The hope is that Blinken’s visit can improve relations both in form and substance. However, there is also a possibility that relations may worsen after the visit. We prepare for the worst and hope for the best,” said Shen Dingli, a China foreign policy expert in Shanghai.
Blinken did not speculate on whether his visit would pave the way for continued high-level engagements between the US and China.
“As for what comes next, let’s see how the visit goes,” said Blinken, referring to comments made by his Singaporean counterpart. “This is an important step, but there is still a lot of work to be done.”
