Antony Blinken expresses concern over China's approach on Taiwan ahead of Xi-Biden meet

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Saturday, November 13, held a telephonic dialogue with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi as the two countries prepared for a landmark virtual summit between President Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden, scheduled for November 16.

Blinken discussed the preparations for President Biden’s and President Jinping’s upcoming meeting noting that this presents “an opportunity for the two leaders to discuss how to responsibly manage competition between the United States and the PRC while working together in areas where interests align,” the US State Department’s office of the spokesperson said in a release.

The two top diplomats also emphasised the longstanding interest of the United States in maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. US Secretary of State Blinken “expressed concern” regarding the PRC’s continued military, diplomatic, and economic pressure against Taiwan.  

Blinken “urged Beijing to engage in meaningful dialogue to resolve cross-Strait issues peacefully and in a manner consistent with the wishes and best interests of the people on Taiwan,” according to the US Department of State.

Furthermore, the US Secretary also stressed the “importance of taking measures to ensure global energy supply and price volatility do not imperil global economic recovery.” 

'Any connivance of & support for Taiwan independence undermines peace': China

According to the statement issued on Saturday by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his US counterpart Blinken agreed that the meeting between US President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping “will be keenly followed by the whole world, (and) is of great significance” not just for China-US relations, but also for international relations. Each side agreed that the meeting will yield outcomes beneficial to both countries as well as the entire world. 

“The helmsmanship of the two heads of state plays a key role in steering bilateral relations. The two sides should work in the same direction and make every preparation to ensure a smooth and successful meeting and bring bilateral relations back onto the track of sound and steady development,” the Chinese ministry of foreign affairs stressed in a statement issued after the phone call between Blinken and Wang Yi. The US side looks forward to sharing views on bilateral ties with the Chinese side during the meeting in the spirit of mutual respect and jointly send a strong message to the world, it said. 

Responding to the United States’ “deeds on the Taiwan question”, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi maintained China’s “solemn position” as he emphasised that history and reality have fully proven that "Taiwan independence" is the biggest threat to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. 

“Any connivance of and support for the "Taiwan independence" forces undermines peace across the Taiwan Strait and would only boomerang in the end,” Yi said. 

Yi noted, if the US truly wants to safeguard peace across the Taiwan Strait, then it “should clearly and resolutely oppose any ‘Taiwan independence’ moves, abide by the solemn commitments it made in the three China-US joint communique and put the one-China policy into action and stop sending wrong signals to the ‘Taiwan independence' forces.