Ukraine War Focus: US Secretary of State Blinken on China

US Secretary of State Blinken's visit to China is not easy. A meeting with the state president and party chief Ji is also expected. Blinken is certain to warn the Chinese leadership against continuing to support Russia militarily.

The past few years have seen ups and downs in the relationship between the US and China. After US President Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan in the summer of 2022 and the downing of a Chinese spy balloon over North America early last year, there have been no official contacts between the two superpowers for months.

At least people are talking to each other again now, says Bonnie Glaser of the German Marshall Fund, a US think tank. “The U.S. goal is to create more stable and predictable relationships that have open channels of communication where leaders meet and representatives from different levels come together,” Glazer said. “They present their concerns and explain their policies. Where their interests coincide, we see if we can work together. Both countries are on the way to cementing their relations. It remains to be seen whether this will succeed.”

The US has criticized China's support for Moscow

There are still many differences between China and the US. Above all: handling a war of aggression in Ukraine and China's friendship with an aggressive Russia.

China is a major supplier to Russia's defense sector, Antony Blinken said in Italy last week. Machine tools, microchips, and other dual-use items — that is, technology that can be used for both civilian and military purposes.

Bonnie Glaser of the American German Marshall Fund said the US secretary of state would make the issue a priority at the talks in Beijing. “The war in Ukraine has been going on for more than two years, and it appears that the Russian defense sector has been reorganized mainly with the help of China,” Glaser said. “The People's Republic has apparently provided dual-use and weapons components. And this is of great concern to the United States and Europe.”

China benefits from Russia's war

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin recently denied the allegations and changed the schedule. It is irresponsible and hypocritical for the United States, on the one hand, to militarily support Ukraine and at the same time disparage China's “normal” economic relations with Russia. China is not adding fuel to the fire or the country is benefiting from the war – certainly will not tolerate such accusations.

It is a lie that China has nothing to gain from this war. Trade between the two autocratic neighbors has flourished since the start of the war. While the war in Ukraine rages on, the country now offers Russia almost everything that democracies have stopped, allowing the Russian people to live largely “normal” lives. In return, the People's Republic buys large amounts of energy – revenue for the Russian war chest.

Taiwan also remains a contentious issue

Another point of contention between China and the US is US support for Taiwan. The US Congress on Tuesday approved $8 billion in military aid to the democratically-ruled island. The Communist Party views this as interference, as Taiwan is seen as its own territory.

The leadership in Beijing also complains about US sanctions. Among other things, the government in Washington is trying to prevent China from acquiring high-performance microchips needed for the production of modern weapons. China accuses the US of hindering the country's rise.

Concerns about Trump getting re-elected

After that, the election campaign in the United States has heated up. China analyst Bonnie Glaser believes most Chinese people don't want Donald Trump back — and the unpredictability of a Trump presidency.

“China is struggling with economic problems and has difficulties at home, for example corruption in the military,” Glaser said. “Also, there may be other signs of instability. So the best thing for the country at this point is to re-elect President Joe Biden. I don't think everyone in China agrees on this, but I do. However, the majority opinion is that regardless of the outcome of the US election, whoever he is, the US China must deal with the president.