US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken met his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Saturday in an attempt to calm the “enmity” between Washington and Beijing.
The two ministers met in the Indonesian resort of Bali, a day after they attended a meeting of top diplomats from the Group of Twenty, which failed to reach consensus on Russia’s war in Ukraine and deal with its aftermath.
Blinken and Wang discussed a number of contentious issues including tariffs, trade, human rights, disagreements over Taiwan and disputes in the South China Sea.
“In a complex relationship, such as the one between the United States and China, there is a lot to talk about, and I very much look forward to a productive and constructive conversation,” Blinken said before closing the conference room door.
“It is necessary for the two countries to maintain normal exchanges and work together to ensure that this relationship continues on the right track,” Wang said.
He noted that China adheres to the principles of “mutual respect”, “peaceful coexistence” and “win-win cooperation”, stressing that this serves the interests of both countries.
With Russia isolated by the West over its invasion of Ukraine, and amid increasing uncertainty surrounding the global economy, both China and the United States have taken cautious steps to control their myriad differences.
Daniel Krettenbrink, the top US diplomat for East Asia, said Blinken would seek to create “protective barriers” in the relationship between the world’s two largest economies.
He told reporters that the United States would seek “to do everything possible to ensure that we avoid any miscalculation that might inadvertently lead to conflict.”
Blinken and Wang are meeting in person, for the first time since October, to pave the way for hypothetical talks expected in the coming weeks between the US and Chinese presidents.
Since last month, the United States and China have also held talks that brought together the defense, financial and national security leaders of the two countries, as well as senior military leaders.
But tension remains high, especially with regard to Taiwan, as the United States has expressed concern about China’s escalation of pressure on the island, which it considers part of its territory.
US views of China have hardened in recent years, and US President Joe Biden has largely maintained the core of his predecessor Donald Trump’s hard-line approach, viewing Beijing as the US’ pre-eminent global rival.
But Blinken made clear in a recent speech that the United States is not seeking a new “cold war,” despite criticism that includes accusing Beijing of genocide against the Uyghur people.
It is expected that the Biden administration will soon ease some of Trump’s tariffs on Chinese goods, in a move that could alleviate high inflation, which has become a major political burden in the United States.