Upon arriving in Shanghai on Thursday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken commenced his official visit by meeting with local government officials, including Chinese Communist Party Secretary Chen Jining. Their discussions encompassed local and regional affairs. Blinken further intends to engage with students and business leaders before proceeding to Beijing by train for anticipated discussions with national officials, such as Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
Blinken’s arrival in Shanghai occurred on Wednesday, shortly before President Biden signed a $95 billion foreign aid package that includes elements likely to provoke China, particularly the allocation of $8 billion to counter China’s growing assertiveness in and around the South China Sea. The package also seeks to compel TikTok’s China-based parent company to divest the social media platform.
China has vehemently opposed U.S. assistance to Taiwan, which it considers a renegade province, condemning the move as a dangerous provocation. Beijing also strongly disapproves of efforts to force the sale of TikTok.
Despite these tensions, Blinken’s decision to visit China, following a conversation between Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping, a similar visit by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, and a call between U.S. and Chinese defense chiefs, indicates a willingness on both sides to address their differences through dialogue.
“I think it’s important to underscore the value – in fact, the necessity – of direct engagement, of speaking to each other, laying out our differences, which are real, seeking to work through them,” Blinken conveyed to Chen.
“We have an obligation for our people, indeed an obligation to the world, to manage the relationship between our two countries responsibly,” he added. “That is the obligation we have, and one that we take very seriously.”
Chen echoed this sentiment, stating that the recent Biden-Xi call had contributed to the “stable and healthy development of our two countries’ relationship.”
“Whether we choose cooperation or confrontation affects the well-being of both peoples, both countries, and the future of humanity,” he said.
Chen expressed his hope that Blinken’s visit would enable him to gain a profound understanding of Shanghai.
Blinken’s initial itinerary included attending a Chinese basketball playoff game between the local Shanghai Sharks and the Zhejiang Golden Bulls, with the home team narrowly losing in a 121-120 nail-biter.
