US and Chinese Foreign Ministers hold talks

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken met with his counterpart Qin Gang in Beijing as part of his official visit to China and discussed resolution of the problems between the two countries.

The US Minister arrived in Beijing yesterday morning for a two-day official visit. Blinken was greeted at the airport by Yang Tao, China's Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for North American and Oceania Affairs, and Nicolas Burns, the US Ambassador to Beijing.

Blinken became the highest-ranking official to come to Beijing since US President Joe Biden took office at the beginning of 2021, and the first US Secretary of State to visit China in 5 years. The last time Donald Trump's Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited Beijing was in 2018.

Bilinken met with his counterpart Qin Gang at the Diaoyutai State Guest House in Beijing and held an inter-delegation meeting that lasted 5 and a half hours Dec. 21. After the meeting, the US and Chinese delegations also met at a working dinner in the evening.

EMPHASIS ON THE TAIWAN ISSUE

According to a statement from the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Minister Qin Gang pointed out during the meeting that China-US relations are at the worst point since the establishment of diplomatic ties, noting that this situation is not in accordance with the interests of the two peoples and the expectations of the international community.

Noting that they want to establish a stable, predictable and constructive relationship with the United States, Qin Gang said, "We hope that the United States adopts an objective and rational view of China, works with China to maintain the political basis of relations and handle unexpected individual events in a rational, calm and professional manner."

Stressing that the Taiwan issue is China's most fundamental interest, its most important issue and the most obvious risk in Sino-US relations, Qin Gang urged the US side to adhere to the one-China principle, comply with its obligations in the Three Joint Declarations that form the basis of diplomatic relations and its commitment "not to support Taiwan's independence".

In a statement, the US State Department said that Secretary Blinken pointed out the importance of keeping communication channels open and diplomacy in different problem areas to avoid the risks posed by misperceptions during the meeting.

"The Secretary of State has clearly stated that the United States will always defend the interests and values of the American people and work with its allies and partners to defend a free, open world and a rules-based international order," the statement said, noting that Secretary Blinken expressed the possibilities of cooperation on numerous issues of concern in relations, as well as on transnational issues where interests overlap with China." it was said.

HE ALSO INVITED THE CHINESE MINISTER TO WASHINGTON

During the meeting, the parties agreed to continue consultations on guiding principles in China-US relations, to address certain issues in relations with a joint working group, to promote interactions between peoples, in the field of business and education, the statement noted that Bilinken invited Qin Gang to Washington for a visit to continue the dialogue. The parties agreed to continue consultations on guiding principles in China-US relations, to Decipher certain issues in relations with a joint working group, to promote interaction between peoples in the field of business and education.

Blinken is expected to hold talks tomorrow with China's most senior diplomat, Director of the Office of the Central Foreign Relations Commission of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Vang Yi, and President Xi Jinping.

IT WAS CANCELED DUE TO A DIPLOMATIC CRISIS

Meanwhile, US officials announced that an increasing number of “Spy Balloons” were seen entering American airspace in early February and apparently belonging to China.

The mysterious vehicles, the size of three buses, about 60 meters tall, were shot down on February 4 by a US fighter jet off the coast of South Carolina. It was also seen from the same balloon over the state of Montana, which is home to many sensitive US nuclear missiles.

While the events led to a diplomatic crisis, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken canceled his planned visit to China at the end of February.

Before US secretary of state Anthony Blinken's visit to China, 42 NGOs signed a joint letter on June 14, demanding that Anthony Blinken raise the ongoing serious human rights crisis in Hong Kong, Tibet and East Turkistan during his visit to China, while calling for using this visit to take steps to resolve the ongoing Uyghur genocide and human rights problem in China.