On the Indonesian island of Bali, top officials from the United States and China expressed cautious optimism that tensions would not escalate out of control.
Neither side expected substantial breakthroughs between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, but they have toned down their rhetoric and increased cooperation at a time when the West’s attention is focused on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“There is a lot to speak about in a relationship as complicated and significant as the one between the United States and China,” Blinken said as he launched conversations at a resort hotel in Bali, where the two had attended a Group of 20 (G20) meeting the day before. “We are looking forward to a healthy and constructive discussion.”
Wang stated that Chinese President Xi Jinping believed in collaboration and “mutual respect” between the world’s two major economic powers, and that “regular interactions” between them were required.
We do need to work together to keep our relationship on the right track,” Wang said in front of US and Chinese flags before a day of meetings that will include a working lunch.
The senior US diplomat for East Asia, Daniel Kritenbrink, previously stated that Blinken would seek “guardrails” in Washington’s competition with Beijing and would do “all necessary to ensure that we minimize any mistake that may lead unwittingly to confrontation.”
This is Blinken and Wang’s first face-to-face meeting since October. They are anticipated to plan for virtual conversations between Xi and US President Joe Biden in the coming weeks.
After a protracted silence throughout the coronavirus epidemic, the two nations’ defense, finance, and national security leaders, as well as their senior military commanders, have all spoken out since last month.