© REUTERS
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to Beijing and Shanghai next week. The United States and China have been trying to reduce diplomatic tensions and stabilize their relations for months.
Saturday April 20, 2024 at 10:04 PM
The talks, which will take place from Wednesday to Friday, should improve communication and reduce the risk of misunderstandings and conflict, according to a top US State Department official. The US Secretary of State will also speak “clearly” about issues that concern the US, such as the human rights situation in China, “unfair trade practices” or Chinese support for the Russian defense industry. Blinken will also ask during the meeting to avoid “provocative” measures at the inauguration of Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te next month.
Diplomatic relations between the US and China appear to be thawing. In November, US President Joe Biden met his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in California after a year of complete radio silence. That meeting was followed by talks between members of both governments at the highest level. In February last year, almost all contacts were severed after the American armed forces shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon.
Earlier this month, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen traveled to China to meet with representatives of US companies and the Chinese government. “We are in a different situation than a year ago, when bilateral relations reached an all-time low,” the top official said.