WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday stressed the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait during a meeting with senior Chinese diplomats as the Biden administration seeks to ease the transition. did. Tensions over Taiwan Meanwhile, a presidential election will be held on the island.
Blinken met with Liu Jianchao, the Chinese Communist Party’s international director. Hours later, he met with Yoko Kamikawa, the foreign minister of Japan, one of America’s strongest allies in Asia.
The Biden administration is seeking to contain tensions in the Taiwan Strait if the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, known for its pro-independence policies, wins Saturday’s general election. The Chinese government, which considers Taiwan part of its territory, has signaled to voters that it may be forced to choose between peace and war.
The United States is not endorsing any candidate in Taiwan’s presidential election and plans to send an unofficial delegation to Taiwan immediately after the election.
In addition to Taiwan, Blinken and Kamikawa also discussed wars in Ukraine and the Middle East and preparations for an official visit to the United States by the Japanese prime minister, likely in early March, according to the Japan Today news site.
“As the world reaches a turning point, the role of the Japan-U.S. alliance in addressing various issues has never been greater,” Kamikawa said, as reported by Japan Today.
Mr. Blinken told Mr. Kamikawa that the alliance was “the very cornerstone of peace, security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region,” according to State Department records.
Mr. Liu and Mr. Blinken’s meeting was part of a trip to the United States that brought the veteran Chinese diplomat to New York. He said earlier this week that Beijing takes seriously the U.S. statement that it does not support Taiwan’s independence. “And we expect the American side to honor this commitment,” Liu told the Council on Foreign Relations.
“For China, the Taiwan issue is the very core of its core interests. It is a red line that must not be crossed,” said Liu, who is likely to become China’s next foreign minister when the Chinese parliament convenes in March.
Beijing has accused the United States of supplying arms to Taiwan, saying it could embolden those calling for Taiwan’s independence. The United States has a security agreement that protects Taiwan from armed attack from the mainland, so any military conflict in the Taiwan Strait could involve the United States.
Liu’s visit comes nearly two months after President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in San Francisco in an effort to stabilize bilateral relations.
Liu told the Council on Foreign Relations that the Chinese government does not want war.
“China will continue to adhere to its independent foreign policy of peace and strive for peaceful development,” Liu said. “During his recent visit to the United States, President Xi Jinping reiterated that China will not fight a cold war or a hot war with anyone.”
Mr. Liu assured the audience that China is not trying to change the world order.
“China is not trying to change the current international order, much less reinvent the wheel by creating a new international order,” Liu said. “We are among the architects of the current world order and have benefited from it.”
Liu said the Chinese government’s goal is “to provide Chinese people with a better life.”
“So we don’t really have a hidden agenda. It’s not our goal to overtake the United States,” he said.
Mr. Liu suggested Beijing could move away from the “wolf warrior” diplomacy that critics say is alienating China from the West.
“I think the fundamental goal of Chinese diplomats is to strive to make China’s relations with other countries warm and cooperative,” Liu said. “And that means trying to create an international environment favorable to China’s modernization.”