Antony Blinken, the US Secretary of State, has touched down in China for a three-day visit, following the approval of a significant foreign aid package by the Senate. This aid package will offer substantial assistance to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan.
Upon his arrival in Shanghai on Wednesday, Blinken is scheduled to engage with business leaders in the city before proceeding to Beijing for discussions on Friday with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and a potential meeting with President Xi Jinping.
The primary focus of the trip is to enhance dialogue and stabilize the somewhat turbulent relationship between Beijing and Washington.
This visit coincides closely with the US Senate’s approval of a generous foreign aid package, which President Joe Biden is expected to sign into law shortly. The package allocates eight billion dollars to address Chinese threats in Taiwan and the wider Asia Pacific region. Additionally, it mandates ByteDance, a Chinese company, to sell TikTok within nine months, with a possible extension of three months if a sale is in progress.
Beijing is actively working to address various issues with Washington, including allegations of China’s involvement in the fentanyl opioid crisis in the US.
Secretary Blinken’s discussions in Ukraine will center on the Biden administration’s concerns that China’s actions have enabled Russia to strengthen its defense capabilities, impacting not only the conflict in Ukraine but also posing a threat to European security.
China has defended its right to trade with Russia and criticized the US for exacerbating the conflict by supporting Ukraine.
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