U.S. secretary of state visits Beijing to discuss differences

Secretary Tony Blinken and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday affirmed their interest in improving relations, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said. The statement acknowledged that the two countries have had a contentious relationship in recent years but added that the United States did not want war, or a cold war, with China. The United States also reaffirmed its “One China” policy, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry. The longstanding U.S. policy recognizes the Beijing government as representing China while considering Taiwan's status as unsettled.

What did the United States have to say about the meeting? Blinken discussed China’s trade practices, saying that they were unfair and harmed U.S. workers, according to the U.S. State Department. Blinken stressed that the United States will protect its national security and that of its partners when it comes to importing foreign technology. He also brought up the Biden administration’s concerns about drugs, including fentanyl and its precursor products, flowing into the United States. Blinken and Xi also discussed China’s ongoing support of Russia’s defense industry during its war against Ukraine and its continued aggression in the South China Sea.

What happens now? Both governments have said they want to maintain high-level diplomacy and open lines of communication. The two countries have agreed to hold joint talks about policy for the development of artificial intelligence, Blinken said at a press conference Friday. Blinken also discussed how the two countries will work to increase the number of American students studying abroad in China.

Dig deeper: Listen to my report on the Doubletake podcast about the Chinese government’s treatment of its political dissidents.