US Top Diplomat Blinken Visits China For Tough Talks

As major sanctions loom, US top diplomat Blinken visits China for tough talks regarding the TikTok bill and others.

As he kicked off two days of talks in China, Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that the biggest economies in the world needed to “lay out our differences,” with the prospect of US sanctions against Beijing for its backing of Russia’s war in Ukraine hanging over his visit. “After attending a basketball game the previous evening, we have an obligation to our people — indeed, an obligation to the world — to manage the relationship between our two countries responsibly,” he said to Shanghai Party Secretary Chen Jining on Thursday.

In response, the leader of the economic hub stated that their countries had to decide between “cooperation or confrontation,” with the result influencing the “future of humanity.” In the midst of criticism over unfair treatment of foreign companies, Blinken is also scheduled to meet with American business leaders in Shanghai. On Friday, he will travel to Beijing for meetings, which may include a face-to-face meeting with President Xi Jinping.

Reason For Blinken’s Visit To China

The top US diplomat’s visit coincides with heightened tensions between the two countries as the wary US election season puts President Joe Biden’s and Chinese President Xi’s last year’s efforts to stabilize relations to the test. The US president last week declared more tariffs on China, denounced Beijing as “xenophobic,” and launched an investigation into the Asian country’s shipbuilding sector.

Blinken will make an effort to persuade Chinese authorities to stop trade, which has allowed Russia to rebuild its defense industrial base in spite of sanctions from the West following its invasion of Ukraine. According to a senior US official, Beijing’s territorial claims over Taiwan, an independent island, and its aggression in the South China Sea will also be discussed.

The Communist Party’s response to recent trade salvos and the possibility of sanctions has been limited to symbolic tit-for-tat tariffs and tough talk. As China fights a real estate crisis and trade investigations from the European Union, Xi is attempting to entice foreign investors back to the country and revitalize the second-largest economy in the world.

Jude Blanchette’s View

Jude Blanchette, a specialist on China and foreign investment at the Center for International and Strategic Studies in Washington, said that “you often see the most activist Chinese response at times when they’re feeling empowered and strong.” “The Beijing leadership is currently dealing with a lot of fires.”

And the possibility of more sanctions to add to those worries. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen expressed concerns to top leaders about China’s overcapacity earlier this month, telling officials in Beijing that Chinese banks supporting Russia’s war effort might be subject to new US sanctions. Chinese state media pointed out the paradox of attempting to improve relations while escalating trade rivalry ahead of Blinken’s visit.

Blinken arrived in China just hours after the Senate approved a $95 billion emergency aid package for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, which could also result in the suspension of popular video-sharing app TikTok unless it divests from its Chinese parent company ByteDance Ltd. Biden signed the package into law on Wednesday.

To avoid an escalation of tensions, the US delegation will seek to clearly communicate policies to Beijing. In recent weeks, the United States met with its European and Asian allies to discuss China. Blinken’s trip coincides with US and Philippine military exercises near the disputed South China Sea and Taiwan.

What To Expect When Blinken Returns

US officials are unlikely to come away from this week’s meetings with many concrete accomplishments or deliverables. While there are signs that the relationship is stabilizing, the two countries continue to disagree on issues such as trade, technology, human rights, Ukraine, North Korea, and the Middle East, where Blinken has sought Beijing’s assistance in putting pressure on Iran.

The large delegation accompanying Blinken highlights the diverse topics for discussion in Shanghai and Beijing this week.

Alongside him are the following individuals: Elizabeth Allen, undersecretary for public diplomacy and public affairs; Todd Robinson, assistant Secretary of State for international narcotics and law enforcement affairs; Sarah Beran, senior director for China and Taiwan affairs at the National Security Council; and Nathan Fick, ambassador-at-large for cyberspace and digital policy. Daniel Kritenbrink is the assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific affairs.