The first key meeting in the relationship that Blinken called “the greatest geopolitical test of the 21st century” quickly deviated from the usual diplomatic clearing that occurs in front of the cameras before the actual meetings begin. While the two sides exchanged unusually intense comments, Blinken called the cameras back to oppose the Chinese authorities ‘comments – particularly their criticisms of US democracy – triggering an unexpected chain of rebuttal as each side responded to the others’ comments.
Blinken had initially said that the United States intended to defend the “rule-based order” without which there would be a “much more violent world” and said that Chinese activities in places like Xinjiang, Hong Kong and Taiwan, as well as its cyber attacks against the USA and the economic coercion of its allies “threaten the rule-based order that maintains global stability. That is why they are not merely internal affairs and we feel an obligation to raise these issues here today”.
China’s top diplomat, Yang Jiechi, backed down, warning the US against meddling in China’s “internal affairs”, challenging the US right to speak on behalf of other countries, claiming that the US is the “champion” of cyber attacks and mocking the US internal stability.
“We believe it is important for the United States to change its own image and to stop promoting its own democracy in the rest of the world,” said Yang, in an extensive opening speech. “Many people in the United States really have little confidence in America’s democracy,” said Yang. “According to opinion polls, China’s leaders have the broad support of the Chinese people.”
Yang challenged US claims to global leadership, saying that “the US does not represent the world, it only represents the government of the United States”, before State Councilor Wang Yi pondered to say that China would not accept “the unjustified accusations of Side USA. ”
‘Wait a second’
After Wang finished and the aides started to move the cameras out of the room, Blinken interrupted, “Wait a second, please.” The top US diplomat motioned for the press to return. “Wait a second,” he said. “Director, state counselor, given your extensive observations, please allow me to add just a few of mine before we start work.”
The top US diplomat said that in liaisons with about 100 counterparts, he was “hearing profound satisfaction that the United States is back, that we are reengaging our allies and partners. I am also hearing deep concern about some of the actions of his government is taking. “
And then Blinken addressed the coups in the internal affairs of the United States. A hallmark of US leadership at home is “a constant search for, as we say, forming a more perfect union. And this search, by definition, recognizes our imperfections, recognizes that we are not perfect,” said Blinken.
“We make mistakes. We, we have setbacks, we take steps backwards. But what we’ve done throughout our history is facing these challenges – openly, publicly, transparently – not trying to ignore them, not trying to pretend that they don’t exist, “Blinken continued.” Sometimes it is painful. Sometimes it’s ugly. But, each time, we come out stronger, better, more united, like a country. “
Blinken then referred to a meeting between President Xi Jinping and President Joe Biden when they were both vice presidents. “Biden said at the time, it is never a good bet to bet against the United States,” Blinken told Chinese officials. “And that remains true today.”
The combative comments opened two days of meetings in Anchorage for what US government officials described as “a broader strategic conversation” about the wide range of US concerns about Chinese behavior, as well as areas of potential mutual interest.
Blinken and Sullivan used their initial comments to emphasize their interest in a global order and the concerns they heard from allies about China’s behavior.
“Our government is committed to leading with diplomacy to promote the interests of the United States and strengthen the international rule-based order,” said Blinken. “This system is not an abstraction. It helps countries to resolve differences peacefully, coordinate multilateral efforts effectively and participate in global trade with the guarantee that everyone is following the same rules. The alternative to an order based on rules is a world where you can do it right and the winners take everything. And that would be a much more violent and unstable world for all of us. “
The message is closely aligned with the theme that government officials emphasized in the days leading up to the Alaskan meeting: the U.S. will not change the increasingly harsh stance on Beijing taken by the Trump administration, but the Biden team said it plans to apply it. it more firmly standards more effectively, working closely with the allies – and they will seek to do so without the internal divisions that plagued the Trump administration or the cursing of the ex-president, which many analysts say have undermined US policy- China in the past.
“Sometimes you heard something in public, but you seemed to see something different – coming from somewhere else,” said a senior Trump administration official. “One of the things we must demonstrate here is a sense of coordination and a kind of unified approach, which was potentially not the case in the last government.”
The White House made it clear that it was “important” for the meeting to take place on American soil, and senior government officials emphasized that the presence of Blinken and Sullivan demonstrates a strong united front.
“This is a very deliberate and visual demonstration of this from the start that we think is really important to help inform and shape how China seeks to engage with us,” a senior official told reporters this week, adding that “the games China has played in the past to divide us or try to divide us simply will not work here. “
Russia and China to meet next week
The meeting comes as Russia and China announce their own bilateral meeting next week, a diplomatic show of strength that highlights their growing cooperation. Moscow announced that Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov would travel to South Korea to meet with local officials as well.
American officials portrayed the Alaskan meeting as a forum to raise their concerns directly with Chinese officials, “to demonstrate to our counterparts that there is no difference between what we say in public and what we say in private,” as Blinken said this week.
“It is very important to make sure that we understand each other and, in particular, that our Chinese colleagues understand the concerns that we have, understand why so many countries are increasingly concerned about the actions that China is taking, again, be it in relation to to human rights at home or some of their aggressive actions in the region, “he said in an interview with TV Asahi Wednesday.
These concerns range from China’s aggression in the South and East China seas to its economic practices and human rights abuses in Xinjiang, which the government said are tantamount to genocide.
Thursday’s meeting is not expected to result in “specific negotiated results” nor will there be a joint statement, the senior official said.
“This is really a one-time meeting,” said the official. “This is not the resumption of a specific dialogue mechanism or the initiation of a dialogue process.”
Blinken said last week that any possible subsequent meeting “should really be based on the proposition that we are seeing tangible progress and tangible results on the issues that concern us with China”.
“Beijing has been talking about its desire to change the tone of the relationship,” a second senior government official told reporters.
“And, of course, we are going to analyze actions and not words on that front, and of course we are going to these discussions with a very clear view of the (People’s Republic of China) ‘s very bad record of keeping its promises,” said the official. .
Blinken called China “the greatest geopolitical test of the 21st century” and President Joe Biden has pledged to “compete better” with the country, but the government has also said it will work with China wherever it is in the US interest, then, on issues such as climate change.
China’s Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that it accepted the proposal for the negotiations as “a constructive gesture that shows our sincerity in resuming China-US dialogue and exchange and improving and developing China-US relations”.
However, spokesman Zhao Lijian said the United States should not expect a change in the range of issues it considers to be domestic issues.
“On matters concerning China’s sovereignty, security and central interests, no one should expect China to make any compromise or compensation,” he said. “China is determined and determined to safeguard its central interests.”