What message did the US Secretary of State send before his visit to China?

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on June 16 that his upcoming visit to China aims to open up better communications "by addressing misperceptions and avoiding miscalculations," according to AFP.

"Intense competition requires sustained diplomacy to ensure that competition does not lead to confrontation or conflict. That is what the world expects from both the United States and China," Mr. Blinken emphasized at a joint press conference with Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan in Washington DC.

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken speaks during a meeting with Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan in Washington DC on June 16.

Mr. Blinken will visit Beijing from June 18-19, becoming the first US secretary of state to visit China in nearly five years, according to AFP. Previously, Mr. Blinken canceled a planned visit to Beijing in February after Washington announced that it had detected and then shot down a Chinese balloon suspected of carrying spying equipment flying over the US.

Mr. Blinken emphasized that the first goal of the trip to China is to "establish open communication so that the two countries can manage our relationship responsibly."

Mr. Blinken said the purpose of the visit was also to highlight American interests and values, and explore possible areas of cooperation, including global economic stability, countering drug trafficking, climate and health issues.

Secretary of State Blinken: US diplomacy slows down plans to increase Chinese military and intelligence presence abroad

Secretary Blinken added that he would raise the issue of U.S. citizens detained in China. China has detained several U.S. citizens on various charges, including Kai Li, a businessman who was charged with espionage in 2016.

Also at the press conference, Foreign Minister Balakrishnan said that the Asian region has been paying attention to the US-China relationship, calling it "the challenge of the century". Mr. Balakrishnan emphasized: "This is a very important and pivotal moment, not only for the US and China. The rest of the world will be watching. So we hope and believe that you will be able to manage the differences".

Secretary of State Blinken's upcoming visit to Beijing comes amid particularly tense relations between the two countries, over the Taiwan issue, China's ambitions to expand its political and security influence globally, as well as economic relations, according to AFP.

In Beijing on June 16, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said the US needed to work with China to improve relations, according to Xinhua. "The US regards China as its 'main rival' and 'biggest geopolitical challenge.' This is a major strategic misjudgment," Wang said at a press conference.

Mr. Wang also stressed that competition is not a zero-sum game, and that US demands should not deprive China of its legitimate development rights. "This is not 'responsible competition', but irresponsible bullying. It will only push the two countries into confrontation and create a divided world," Mr. Wang said, according to AFP.

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