The top diplomats from the US and China will meet in New York on Friday as the escalating tensions begin to ease, but Beijing has issued a fresh warning against backing Taiwan.
On the fringes of the annual United Nations summit, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will meet for the first time since intense negotiations in Bali in July, when both parties looked hopeful for more stability.
After visiting Taiwan a month later, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi infuriated Beijing, which had organized drills that were thought to be a practice invasion of the self-governing democracy.
In a Sunday interview, President Joe Biden broke from years of US ambiguity by saying that the US was prepared to intervene militarily if China used force.
Wang said that he met with US climate envoy John Kerry in New York despite China’s declaration during Pelosi’s visit that it was limiting cooperation on the topic, a top priority for Biden, in a sign of improved relations.
However, Wang underlined his outrage over US backing for Taiwan in a speech before his discussions with Blinken. China views Taiwan as a part of its territory.
“The main concern to China-US ties is evolving to be the Taiwan dispute. If managed improperly, it is most likely to ruin bilateral relations “At the Asia Society think tank stated.
“China has the right to preserve the unity of the nation, just as the US would not let Hawaii to be pull away,” he stated.
He criticized the US government’s decision to “let” Pelosi, the vice president’s successor, go to Taiwan.
While privately worried about her travel, the Biden administration emphasized that Congress is a different arm of government.
Setting Up A Summit
Wang, though, was amicable with Biden. The New York meetings are anticipate to create the basis for Biden and President Xi Jinping’s first encounter since they assume office, which is schedule to take place in Bali in November with the Group of 20 economic heavyweights summit.
Both Biden and Xi, according to Wang, want to “make the China-US relationship work” and “avoid tension and confrontation.”
“However, it seems that there are now two distinct sets of musical scores in the US. The political resolve of their leaders to maintain a cordial bilateral relationship has not yet been convert into sensible policy, “add he.
A bulwark of support for Taiwan, a thriving democracy and significant technical force, is the US Congress.
Last week, a Senate committee took the first step toward increasing the decades-long practice of only supplying Taipei requested weaponry by sending billions of dollars worth of weapons straight to Taiwan to discourage China.
Concerns about human rights have also escalated, with the United States accusing the communist regime of committing genocide against the Uyghur people, mostly Muslims.
Like his predecessor Donald Trump, Biden sees China’s rise as the primary global threat to the US and has pledged to refocus US foreign policy on the issue.
The US’s attention rapidly drawn to Europe by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February. Still, it also raised concerns that Beijing may carry out its long-standing threats to use force against Taiwan.
However, China has distanced itself from Russia, ostensibly its close partner has also encouraged US officials.
While Wang stressed the need to stop the conflict rather than support Russia at a special Security Council meeting on Thursday, President Vladimir Putin told Xi during a meeting last week that he understood China’s “concerns” on Ukraine.
Blinken met with his South Korean and Japanese colleagues on Thursday to keep with the Biden administration’s emphasis on allies. According to expectations, he is also schedule to meet just before he meets with Wang.