Blinken says discussed 'open channels of communication' with Chinese FM

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he discussed "open channels of communication" Tuesday in a phone call with China's Foreign Minister Qin Gang, ahead of his expected trip to Beijing next week.

"Spoke tonight with PRC State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang by phone. Discussed ongoing efforts to maintain open channels of communication as well as bilateral and global issues," Blinken said on Twitter.

"The Secretary discussed the importance of maintaining open lines of communication to responsibly manage the US-PRC relationship to avoid miscalculation and conflict, addressed a range of bilateral and global issues," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement.

Blinken also "made clear the US would continue to use diplomatic engagements to raise areas of concern as well as areas of potential cooperation," Miller said.

Blinken is expected to arrive in Beijing on June 18, the first trip by a top US diplomat to China since his predecessor Mike Pompeo in October 2018, US officials have said on condition of anonymity.

Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping met in Bali in November and agreed to try to prevent already high tensions from soaring out of control, including by sending Blinken to Beijing.

Blinken abruptly canceled a trip scheduled in early February after the United States said it detected -- and later shot down -- a Chinese surveillance balloon flying over the US mainland, drawing fury from US lawmakers and denials by Beijing.

But the two sides have more recently looked again to keep tensions in check including with an extensive, closed-door meeting between Biden's national security advisor Jake Sullivan and top Chinese diplomat Wang Yi in Vienna last month.

Tensions have risen sharply between the world's two largest economies in recent years, especially over Taiwan, the self-governing democracy that Beijing claims and has not ruled out seizing by force.

The two countries are also at odds over China's increasingly assertive posture in the region as well as trade and human rights issues.

Biden, however, has looked for limited areas for cooperation with China, such as climate change, in contrast with the more fully adversarial position adopted at the end of the administration of his predecessor Donald Trump.


AFP