US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday called on China to provide a level playing field for US companies as he begins a visit to the Asian country with the aim of resolving a series of contentious issues that could compromise the relationship between Beijing and Washington.
Blinken’s trip is the latest high-level contact between the two countries which, together with working groups on issues ranging from global trade to military communications, have eased public tensions that led to historically low relations last year. .
But Washington and Beijing are increasingly at odds over how U.S. companies operate in China, Chinese exports and production capabilities, and tensions are also growing over Chinese support for Russia in its war in Ukraine.
US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said that in a meeting with China’s top official in Shanghai, Chen Jining, Blinken raised concerns about China’s “trade policies and non-market economic practices.”
Blinken also “emphasized that the United States seeks healthy economic competition with the PRC and a level playing field for U.S. workers and companies operating in China.”
PRC, or People’s Republic of China, is the country’s official name.
In response to the comments, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at a press conference that “China has always carried out economic and trade cooperation in accordance with market principles.”
“We hope the US will respect the principle of fair competition, comply with WTO rules and work with China to create favorable conditions for the sound and stable development of economic and trade relations between China and the US,” Wang said.
During his stay in Shanghai, Blinken also spoke with business leaders as well as American and Chinese students at the local New York University campus, where he said that cross-cultural interactions are “the best way to ensure that we start by understanding each other.” others”.
Blinken will head to Beijing on Friday for talks with his counterpart, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, and possibly President Xi Jinping.
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