The United States Secretary of State and the Chinese Foreign Minister held talks on Sunday to address their differences on various issues, including Taiwan and trade. While both described the discussions as candid and constructive, they appeared to agree on very little except for the importance of maintaining an ongoing conversation, with a potential meeting in Washington in the future.
Following a 5-1/2 hour meeting and a dinner, officials from both the US and China emphasized their desire for stable and predictable relations. However, China made it clear that it views Taiwan as the most significant issue and the greatest risk in their bilateral relationship. Antony Blinken, making the first visit to China by a US Secretary of State in five years, highlighted the need to minimize the risk of misperception and miscalculation during his talks with Foreign Minister Qin Gang, according to the State Department.
Chinese state media quoted Qin as stating that the Taiwan issue is of core interest to China, representing the most crucial aspect of Sino-US relations and the highest potential risk. Prior to the talks, US officials had little expectation of any significant breakthrough on the extensive list of disputes between the two largest economies globally. These disputes encompass trade, US efforts to curb China’s semiconductor industry, the status of Taiwan as a self-governed entity, and Beijing’s human rights record.
The overall relationship between the two countries has deteriorated across various fronts, raising concerns about the potential for future military clashes over Taiwan, which China claims as its own while it remains self-governed. Given the potential global implications on financial markets, trade routes, practices, and global supply chains, Blinken’s visit garnered significant attention worldwide.
China’s reluctance to engage in regular military-to-military talks with the United States has been particularly alarming for its neighboring countries.
