BEIJING: China and the United States agreed on Monday to try and stabilise their intense rivalry to avoid veering into conflict, but did not announce any major breakthroughs during a rare visit to Beijing by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
Chinese President Xi Jinping hailed “progress” after shaking hands with Blinken at the Great Hall of the People, a grand venue usually reserved for greeting heads of state.
Blinken, the first holder of his post to meet the Chinese leader since 2018, told reporters he had raised contentious issues such as Taiwan, the democratic island Beijing claims as its own.
And while he said the two sides had not moved forward on establishing regular military-to-military communications – a major concern for the wider world – he expected more senior U.S. officials would visit China in coming weeks.
It had been hoped their roughly 30-minute meeting could help facilitate a summit between Xi and U.S. President Joe Biden later in the year.
Biden and Xi last met on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia in November, pledging more frequent communication, although ties since then have deteriorated over Taiwan, espionage accusations and other concerns.
“The two sides have also made progress and reached the agreement on some specific issues. This is very good,” Xi told Blinken across a long table bedecked with pink lotus flowers.
Blinken responded by saying the two countries “have an obligation and responsibility” to manage their relationship and that the United States was “committed to doing that”.
His meetings in Beijing, including talks with China’s top diplomat Wang Yi and foreign minister Qin Gang, had been “candid and constructive,” he added.
It was not immediately clear from Xi’s remarks what progress he was referring to, although he told Blinken China “hopes to see a sound and steady China-U.S. relationship” and believes that the two countries “can overcome various difficulties”, according to Chinese readout of the talks.
He also urged the U.S. not to “hurt China’s legitimate rights and interests”, a signal of potential flashpoints such as Taiwan.
