(ConcernedPatriot.com) – On Monday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Chinese President Xi Jinping to wrap up a quick two-day trip to Beijing.
Blinken-Xi meetings, which are crucial to the trip’s success, had been anticipated, but neither side had confirmed they would take place until just an hour prior, according to the Associated Press (AP).
The U.S. and China are trying to chart a diplomatic path forward amid tense relations between the two largest economies in the world.
China earlier in the day reminded Washington that it must choose between “cooperation or conflict” with Beijing.
On the last day of a 48-hour visit to the communist nation, Wang Yi, China’s top diplomat, informed Secretary of State Antony Blinken of the terms and conditions.
An official from the State Department, who AFP reported, said the two had a three-hour conversation on Monday at the opulent state guesthouse in the historic Diaoyutai gardens.
A meeting between Blinken and Xi, China’s most powerful leader in decades, has not been confirmed by either Washington or Beijing.
Last year, Xi met with President Joe Biden in Bali, which cautiously boosted hopes for a warming relationship.
The latest diplomatic drive coincides with new claims that Chinese hackers have begun “the broadest cyber-espionage campaign known to have been conducted by a China-nexus threat actor since the mass exploitation of Microsoft Exchange in early 2021.”
Cybersecurity firm Mandiant on Thursday revealed “the broadest cyber-espionage campaign known to be conducted by a China-nexus threat actor since the mass exploitation of Microsoft Exchange in early 2021.” https://t.co/19USfOhlCM
— Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) June 18, 2023
According to a readout from Chinese state broadcaster CCTV, Wang reminded Blinken, “The Secretary of State’s trip to Beijing this time comes at a critical juncture in China-U.S. relations.”
“You have to decide whether to engage in conversation or conflict, cooperation or conflict,” he stated.
“We need to find a good method for China and the United States to get along,” Wang continued.
“We must stop the downward spiral of China-U.S. relations, push for a return to a healthy and stable track, and work together to achieve this,” he added.
He also reaffirmed the Communist dictatorship’s long-standing claim to broad tracts of the South China Sea while issuing a warning to Taiwan, the self-governing democracy Beijing claims and frequently threatens.
Wang reportedly warned Blinken, “On this issue, China has no room to compromise or concede,” as reported by CCTV.
“The United States must explicitly oppose “Taiwan independence,” respect China’s sovereignty, and uphold the One China concept, which was affirmed in the three joint U.S.-China communication.”
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