Chinese President Xi Jinping meets US Secretary Blinken after 10 months: "Mutual differences must be respected"

Chinese President Xi Jinping met with U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken, who visited China on the 26th, according to the Chinese state-run Xinhua News Agency.

This was the first separate meeting between President Xi and Secretary Blinken in about 10 months since Blinken first visited Beijing in June last year. Secretary Blinken had previously attended the U.S.-China summit held in San Francisco in November last year. Wang Xiaohong, Minister of Public Security of China, also announced the schedule for the meeting between President Xi and Secretary Blinken in advance.

[Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

At the meeting, President Xi said, "This year marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the United States," adding, "The China-U.S. relationship has experienced ups and downs but has delivered important messages." He emphasized, "The two countries must avoid harming each other, achieve mutual success, and respect differences," and stated, "Instead of competition, existing commitments must be fulfilled, and trust and actions, not words, should lead to results." He then presented three principles for the bilateral relationship: mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation.

Before meeting President Xi on the same day, Secretary Blinken held talks for five and a half hours in Beijing with Wang Yi, Director of the Office of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission of the Chinese Communist Party (also serving as Foreign Minister). According to the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, during the meeting, Secretary Blinken expressed that the United States adheres to the "One China" policy and does not support Taiwan independence.

He added, "The United States does not seek to change China's system, has no intention of confronting China, and does not pursue decoupling (separation of supply chains, etc.) from China." In response, Director Wang emphasized that the Taiwan issue is the first red line that must not be crossed in China-U.S. relations.