US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing on the morning of April 26, and in the afternoon received an audience with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The meeting with Wang Yi was the highlight of Blinken’s visit itinerary, but Blinken, who arrived in China on April 24, did not meet the officials he was supposed to engage with until the day he was leaving Beijing on April 26.
Wang Yi directly mentioned that the negative factors affecting US-China relations are still accumulating, facing various disruptions and destructions, China’s legitimate development rights are unreasonably suppressed, and China’s core interests are constantly challenged.
Wang Yi also presented a multiple-choice question. Whether China and the United States adhere to the path of stability and progress, or repeat the mistakes of downward spirals, is a major issue facing both countries, testing their sincerity and capabilities. Whether the two sides lead international cooperation to address global issues and achieve win-win outcomes, or confront each other and even erupt in conflict, resulting in losses for both sides, the international community is watching closely.
The Chinese official news release did not mention Blinken’s remarks. This is China’s deliberate move to downplay Blinken’s tone and implies significant differences in positions between China and the United States.
Blinken’s audience with Xi Jinping was merely ceremonial.
Xi Jinping mentioned, “In the past few months, the teams of both sides have implemented the consensus reached by the two heads of state, maintained communication in various fields, and made some positive progress, but there are still many problems to be solved, and there is still room for further efforts. Mr. Secretary’s visit this time was agreed upon during my conversation with President Biden a few weeks ago. I hope your trip will not be in vain.”
By the end of the visit, whether Blinken’s trip was fruitful or whether there was consensus is already clear. Xi Jinping’s statement of “I hope your trip will not be in vain” is very confusing. Is this hoping that Blinken considers the trip fruitful, or is there still room for negotiation?
The news release of Wang Yi’s meeting with Blinken did not reveal any sudden consensus, indicating a strong stance in negotiations. Xi Jinping mentioned positive progress while also acknowledging many issues to be resolved, which is a relatively positive description and does not necessarily mean that there is no consensus between China and the United States. This temperature difference in Chinese discourse at the end of the visit is a deliberate posture by China and a strategy for managing US-China relations.
Wang Yi, as the lead official, maintains a strict attitude and does not yield an inch, while Xi Jinping, as the top leader, reveals cooperation within his words, creating confusion between tension and relaxation. Whether Blinken’s trip was in vain or not indeed requires careful assessment.
In the year of the US election, Blinken’s intention to pave the way for Biden’s election is obvious. The United States hopes to capitalize on the election, but whether China will cooperate with the US in this play and how this play will unfold may not necessarily align with US intentions. When the purpose of the Biden administration’s full focus on the election is too obvious, it is inevitable that China will exploit it. (Zheng Zhen)