Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi warned this Friday, in a meeting with his North American counterpart, Antony Blinken, about the need to resolve growing disagreements and warned about the risk of returning to a “downward spiral”. in relations between the two countries.
On his second visit to China in less than a year, the US secretary of state said he would be “very clear, very direct” with his interlocutor, but was confident of making “some progress” in their conversation in Beijing.
At the start of the meeting at the Diaoyutai State Guest House, in the capital’s ancient gardens, Wang said relations between the two countries “were beginning to stabilize” following a meeting in November between their presidents, Joe Biden and Xi Jinping.
“But at the same time, negative factors in the relationship are emerging and increasing,” said the Chinese foreign minister.
“The relationship faces all kinds of disruptions. China’s legitimate development rights have been irrationally crushed and our basic interests face challenges,” he said.
“Should China and the United States maintain the proper direction of moving forward with stability or return to a downward spiral? This is a big question for our countries and tests our sincerity and capacity,” he assured.
Blinken’s team had anticipated that the secretary of state would raise a number of concerns in their bilateral relations, such as China’s support for Russia, the situation in Taiwan or trade.
At the beginning of his meeting with Wang, Blinken argued that the two countries should be “as clear as possible about the areas in which we maintain differences, at least to avoid misunderstandings and miscalculations.”
“This is truly a shared responsibility that we have not only to our people, but to people around the world,” he said.
Tags: Chinese Chancellor warns Blinken deteriorating relations
