US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with his Chinese counterpart Qin Gang, in Beijing, on Sunday.
Comments from the US
State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement on Sunday that their talks had been “constructive,” and that Blinken had emphasised “the importance of diplomacy and maintaining open channels of communication across the full range of issues” to “reduce the risk of misperception and miscalculation.”
Blinken raised “issues of concern, as well as opportunities to explore cooperation on shared transnational issues” where their “interests align.” Further, he clarified that Washington “will always…work with its allies and partners to advance [its] vision for a world that is free, open, and upholds the international rules-based order.”
Blinken also invited his Chinese counterpart to Washington “to continue the discussions” and the two agreed “to continue advancing consultations through the joint working group to address specific issues in the relations.”
Today, I met with People’s Republic of China State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang in Beijing and discussed how we can responsibly manage the relationship between our two countries through open channels of communication. pic.twitter.com/dPkd0aWQ5J
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) June 18, 2023
Comments from China
In a similar vein, Qin also noted “the importance of facilitating exchanges” between the two countries, as their bilateral relationship “is at the lowest point since its establishment.” “This does not serve the fundamental interests of the two peoples or meet the shared expectations of the international community,” Qin stated.
Qin stressed that China’s US policy “remains consistent and stable” and is “guided by the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation.”
He urged the US to help jointly defend their “red line” and pledged Beijing’s commitment to build “a stable, predictable and constructive relationship”.
The Chinese Foreign Minister also expressed hope that the US “will adopt an objective and rational perception of China” and “handle unexpected and sporadic events in a calm, professional and rational manner.”
On Taiwan
Qin underscored that Taiwan is a “core interest” of China, “the most consequential issue and the most pronounced risk” in the China-US relationship.
He urged Washington to abide by the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiqués, and “truly deliver on its commitment of not supporting Taiwan independence.”
Recent Discussions
During a phone call last week, which preceded the high-level meet, Qin told Blinken that it was “clear who is responsible” for the “new difficulties and challenges” in the relationship, referring to the US’ “provocations.”