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| What issues will be discussed during Antony Blanken's visit to China after the 'spy balloon' controversy? |
US Secretary of State Anthony Blanken's first visit to China on Sunday comes at a time when relations between the two countries were strained five months ago over the 'spy balloon' incident.
His earlier visit to China was also canceled due to the same balloon, although China maintains that the balloon was actually in the air for weather monitoring and then drifted toward the continental United States. The balloon was eventually destroyed by American aircraft.
Antony Blanken will meet with top Chinese foreign officials during his visit, but it is not yet known whether he will also meet Chinese President Xi Jinping. Xi Jinping was spotted in Beijing on Friday with Microsoft founder Bill Gates.
While the two world powers have a long list of concerns for each other in which there are high-level differences, there are also areas in which mutual cooperation can be ensured.
Let us tell you what are the three topics that matter most during Antony Blanken's visit to China.
Try to improve the relationship
The first objective of Blankenship's visit is to reestablish any kind of diplomatic relations.
Last month, the cold weather improved when US and Chinese officials met in Vienna.
However, Blankenship is the most senior official in the Biden administration to visit China and it is the first visit by a US secretary of state since 2018.
Kurt Campbell, US President's Deputy Assistant, and Coordinator for Indo-Pacific Affairs, said in a briefing before the visit that this is an excellent opportunity for dialogue because it in itself reduces tensions.
"We will not let these differences get in the way of moving forward on global priorities that can divide us," he said. We must work together for these priorities.
However, China's reaction to Blankenship's visit has been somewhat cold.
According to the official statement issued by China on the telephone call between Chinese Foreign Minister Chen Qing and Anthony Blanken on Wednesday night, the Chinese foreign minister told Blanken that "it is very clear that (the two countries) (Regarding the recent tension in the relations between ) Whose fault is it?'
According to reports, Mr. Chen said that the United States should respect China's concerns, refrain from interfering in China's internal affairs, and not try to sabotage China's sovereignty, security, and development in the name of competition. Should.'
American officials say that they do not expect any major breakthroughs from this visit. The most important development in the meetings held during the visit will be that these meetings have been held.
Daniel J. Curtenberg, the US State Department's senior ambassador to Central Asia, has said that do not expect any major progress, nor will there be any major changes in the relations between the two countries.
If these meetings result in more contact between the US and Chinese officials, the two countries can hope for improved relations in the future.
Relaxation of trade disputes
President Biden's relationship with China began with controversy as he was reluctant to roll back trade measures imposed on China by former President Donald Trump.
These include billions of dollars worth of tariffs on Chinese imports. In some areas, President Biden has gone even tougher, imposing restrictions on US computer chip exports to China so that the US can maintain its lead in cutting-edge electronic technology.
In response, China has banned the import of chips from the American company, Macron. Campbell acknowledged China's concerns but said the actions the U.S. has taken so far can explain and defend them, which will help determine what will happen next. can
If computer technology is a cause of fierce competition between the two countries, drug trafficking is a subject that can be worked on together.
The U.S. wants to limit exports of Chinese-made chemicals used to make fentanyl. It is a synthetic opioid that is many times stronger than heroin.
The number of drug overdose deaths in the United States, including fentanyl, has tripled in the past seven years.
"This is an important and urgent issue for the United States," says Curtenberg, "but it's an issue with many challenges."
Eliminating the possibility of war
After the balloon dispute, there were reports that China was considering supplying Russia with weapons that could be immediately used in the Ukraine war.
US officials have been reluctant to repeat the allegations over the past few months. Thus, it is being seen as an attempt to end an important issue for both countries that could have turned the Ukraine-Russia war into a proxy war between the US and China.
However, Blanken's warnings to the Chinese authorities can be repeated that if China tries to help Russia financially or militarily, the results will not be good.
US and Chinese warships face off in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea.
China wants its sovereignty over this region, while America wants itNo, these are international maritime boundaries.
Blanken and his team say their goal in the visit is to 'de-escalate' tensions between the two countries, and that dialogue between the two countries is the best way to do that.
More than that will be difficult to achieve and large-scale cooperation cannot be expected, as an anti-China narrative could be important for President Biden ahead of the 2024 presidential election.
The positive outcome after the visit of the two countries will be that the way of dialogue can be opened again which will help to avoid any kind of military conflict.