Beijing
CNN
—
Chinese President Xi Jinping said the US and China should be “allies rather than adversaries” as he met with top US ambassador Anthony Blinken at Beijing's cavernous Great Hall of the People on Friday.
The meeting took place on the final day of Blinken's three-day visit ChinaIt comes as the two countries continue to seek to stabilize rocky ties and expand communications — including on disputes ranging from technology to Taiwan.
“China wants to see a confident, open and prosperous America. We believe that the United States will view China's development in a positive light,” Ji told Blinken.
“Once this fundamental problem is resolved… Sino-US relations will truly improve and move forward,” he said. “China and the US should be partners rather than adversaries; Help each other succeed rather than harm each other.
Xi's comments come at a time when Chinese officials are taking measures Washington has taken in the face of an increasingly assertive China in the name of national security, but which Beijing sees as aimed at quelling its growth. It includes American restrictions Exports to China of high-tech goods with military applications, as well as restricting US investment in certain high-tech sectors in China.
On Wednesday, US President Joe Biden signed a bill that would lead to a law Social media platform TikTok banned across the country If the company's Chinese parent Byte Dance doesn't sell it — Beijing has previously denied the law.
Blinken told Xi that the United States is “committed to maintaining and strengthening ties” with China and “managing our differences responsibly.”
Examples of recent progress cited by Blinken include “resetting military-to-military relations, thinking together about the future of narcotics and artificial intelligence.”
Their meeting came after five hours between Blinken and his counterpart Wang Yi, which both sides characterized as “conceptual and constructive”.
But Wang was also clear about the sharp tensions that still exist between the world's two superpowers. As their meetings continue, Wang said China and the US face a choice between stability and a “downward spiral”.
“Should China and the U.S. be headed in the right direction moving forward with stability or back into a downward spiral? This is an important question before our two countries and tests our sincerity and ability,” Wang told Blinken, adding that US-China relations were “beginning to stabilize” during a meeting at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse.
“Should our two sides lead international cooperation against global problems and achieve win-win for all? Or engage in competition and conflict — or slide into conflict, which will be lose-lose for all? He spoke through a translator.
During a closed-door meeting later, Wang accused the US of “taking endless measures to crush China's economy, trade, science and technology” and that recent concerns about China's industrial “overcapacity” have flooded global markets.
“(U.S. measures) are not fair competition but containment, and it does not eliminate risks, but creates risks,” he said, according to a reading by Chinese state media.
In his comments to Wang ahead of the closed-door session, Blinken pointed to a “shared responsibility” between the two countries.
“I believe that we can make some progress on the things that our presidents agreed that we should cooperate, but clarify our differences, our objectives, and tell each other clearly where we stand,” Blinken said.
The trip is the latest in a string of high-profile engagements that include a summit between President Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping in California in November.
The US State Department said the two sides discussed next steps on commitments made by both leaders to enhance counter-narcotics cooperation, military-to-military communication, talks on artificial intelligence risks and security, and facilitating people-to-people exchanges. meeting
Speaking to reporters after his meetings, Blinken said the two countries would hold their first talks on artificial intelligence and its risks “in the coming weeks.”
Mark Schiefelbein/Pool/AFP/Getty Images
U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken shakes hands with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing on April 26, 2024.
'Peace and Stability'
Blinken's journey China — his second in a year apart — comes as both countries navigate thorny geopolitical and regional issues. China's support for Russia For its aggression towards the South China Sea and Taiwan.
A Interview with CNN's Kylie AtwoodBefore he left Beijing, Blinken said the U.S. had seen evidence of Chinese efforts to “influence and arguably interfere” in upcoming U.S. elections.
One of America's main concerns is what Washington has described as China's support for Russia's defense industrial base. It says Helped Moscow continue its war against Ukraine.
During his news conference, Blinken reiterated the United States' “serious concerns” about China's supply of dual-use parts that “strengthen Russia's illegal war of aggression against Ukraine.”
“Russia will struggle to sustain its attack on Ukraine without China's support,” he said.
Blinken tells CNN the US is ready to take further action. “That's what we've said to China — we're going to take measures that we already have, and if it doesn't stop, we're going to take more measures and, you can expect, other countries (too).”
Beijing has slammed the US for making “baseless allegations” regarding “normal trade and economic exchanges” between China and Russia.
He emphasized the critical importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and encouraged China to use its influence to discourage Iran and its proxies from escalating the conflict in the Middle East, as well as urging North Korea to end the conflict. Engaging in dangerous behavior and conversation.”
China's reading notes noted that the two sides exchanged views on “the Ukrainian issue, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, North Korea, Myanmar and other issues.”
Wang called on the US to “stop coercing regional countries” and said the Asia-Pacific region should not “become a battleground for major powers”, pointing to its concerns about the US. Developing security relationships with longstanding Asian allies.
On Taiwan, Wang repeated Beijing's usual warning that the “Taiwan issue is the first insurmountable red line” in US-China relations.
China's ruling Communist Party claims Taiwan as part of its territory, although it has never controlled it, and in recent years has intensified military threats against the democratic island.
It rejects unofficial ties between the US and Taiwan and arms sales to Taiwan, which the US is obligated to do under the Taiwan Relations Act.
This story and title have been updated to reflect additional developments.
