At the end of the week, a significant meeting took place between US Secretary of State Tony Blinken and Chinese leader Xi Jinping. It is no secret that the main topic during the American’s visit was the discussion of the situation regarding Russia’s war in Ukraine. Both mega-powers stand on opposite sides of this conflict, and Blinken sought to convey the unacceptability of China’s support of Russia.
This was not the only issue discussed during the bilateral meeting, they also addressed the following:
– Contradictions in China’s economic and trade practices;
– China’s aggression in the South China Sea;
– Establishing stability in the Taiwan Strait;
– Reaction to North Korea’s nuclear and missile program;
– The war between Israelis and Palestinians.
The seriousness of both sides regarding the meeting results is evidenced by the fact that prior to the meeting with the Chinese leader, a five-hour negotiation with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi took place. Even the meal was consumed during the discussions without any distractions.
Official Results
After the visit, the State Department reported that the results of the meeting included the discussion of a series of commitments previously considered by the leaders of the countries – Joe Biden and Xi Jinping – in the fall of last year during the APEC summit 2023 held in November.
In addition to issues related to the Russian-Ukrainian war, the following topics were discussed:
– Deepening cooperation in combating drugs;
– Communications in the military sphere;
– Talks on the risks of artificial intelligence development;
– Promoting people-to-people exchanges in science, trade, etc.
All experts have noted that over the last 10 months, the dialogue between the two countries has shifted from a stalemate, and both leaders are satisfied with how the political relations are currently developing, as there is a noticeable warming in the resolution of serious differences.
But in reality
Official statements after the negotiations are one thing, while the actual outcome of them is quite different.
So it is better to focus on the real effect, which is as follows:
– The Chinese Foreign Minister is seriously concerned about the future course of relations with the US, as, in his opinion, growing “negative factors” threaten stability. He believes that the rivalry that is currently external could escalate into a real conflict.
– Tension between the US and China is rising against the backdrop of what is happening in the South China Sea. China claims it almost entirely, causing conflict with the Philippines. In turn, the US has a mutual defense treaty with the Philippines, which could lead to clashes with China.
– Secretary Blinken, in turn, warned that Russia’s assistance will provoke corresponding actions from his country, and that China is currently the largest supplier and sponsor of danger in Europe, which has existed for many decades.
– Wang Yi also warned the US against crossing “red lines” regarding its policy towards China.
In essence, the meeting became an exchange of mutual warnings and precautions. It’s unlikely to call it warm or promising for the future. The only positive change is that the countries have started communicating. However, there is currently no basis to expect that it will necessarily lead to a reduction in tension. It could either improve or quickly worsen the situation.
Meanwhile, the global community is waiting to see if cooperation will begin between the US and China, leading to the resolution of global issues and mutual victories, or if they will instead move towards open confrontation, resulting in substantial losses.
