Blinken's Diplomatic Visit to China Amidst Global Challenges

Secretary of State Antony Blinken is scheduled to visit China in the upcoming week as part of the Biden administration's efforts to maintain a stable relationship with China. This will be Blinken's second visit to the country since taking office as the top US diplomat. His previous visit was last year, where he aimed to improve relations after a period of high tension between the US and China due to an incident involving a US fighter plane and a Chinese surveillance balloon.

President Joe Biden recently had a phone call with Xi, which was their first conversation since their in-person summit in November.

A senior State Department official mentioned that the bilateral relationship has improved significantly compared to a year ago when it was at a historic low point.

Blinken is scheduled to meet with senior Chinese officials in both Shanghai and Beijing during his visit from April 24-26. According to the official, Blinken has "three primary objectives for his trip to China."

The official mentioned three main priorities: first, working on important issues; second, openly addressing concerns on regional and global matters; and third, handling competition responsibly.

According to the official, Blinken intends to express concerns about China's support for Russia's defense industry, human rights violations, and unfair trade practices during the meeting.

Blinken will also talk about the Middle East situation. The US has been urging China, both openly and in private, to urge Iran to be calm as tensions rise between Iran and Israel.

The official mentioned that Blinken will address issues in the Indo-Pacific region, such as China's actions in the South China Sea, and North Korea's aggressive language and actions. He will also emphasize the significance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

During his visit to China in June, Blinken had meetings in Beijing with high-ranking officials, including President Xi Jinping. The purpose of the trip, as stated by US officials, was to reestablish communication channels with China in order to prevent conflict between two major global powers.

In July, Blinken also held discussions with Wang Yi, a senior Chinese diplomat. The US characterized the conversation as open and productive.

Amidst heavy global turbulence, the call addressed ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine, as well as North Korea's nuclear capabilities.

They also discussed sensitive topics that have strained the Washington-Beijing relationship, including Taiwan, China's recent actions in the South China Sea, and Beijing's human rights violations.

CNN’s Nectar Gan, MJ Lee and Donald Judd contributed to this report.

Editor's P/S:

The upcoming visit of Secretary of State Antony Blinken to China signals a continued effort by the Biden administration to navigate the complex relationship between the two global powers. Blinken's previous visit last year aimed to ease tensions after the incident involving a US fighter plane and a Chinese surveillance balloon, and this visit is expected to further the dialogue on a range of issues.

While the bilateral relationship has improved since its historic low point a year ago, Blinken's agenda includes addressing concerns over China's support for Russia, human rights violations, and unfair trade practices. Additionally, he will discuss regional and global matters, including the Middle East situation, China's actions in the South China Sea, and North Korea's aggression. Blinken's visit underscores the importance of maintaining open communication and managing competition responsibly between the US and China, particularly amidst global turbulence and ongoing conflicts.