Biden, Xi expected to speak in coming weeks: Blinken
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Commenting on whether Biden and Xi might meet for the first time as leaders on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Bali in November, Blinken says he can't tell.
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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, on Sunday, that the US expects President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping to meet in the coming weeks.
Commenting on whether Biden and Xi might meet for the first time as leaders on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Bali in November, Blinken said he couldn't say.
He also said he couldn't say who the US would send to the APEC summit in Thailand the following month.
"With regard to President Xi and President Biden, our expectation is that they will have an opportunity to speak in the weeks ahead, and I can't talk to what may happen in the fall," Blinken stated.
In response to a separate question, Blinken stated, "While we look forward to participating in the APEC summit... I can't speak yet to who will be participating, but the United States will be very much present."
It is worth noting that Blinken spoke a day after a five-hour meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the Indonesian island of Bali, where he was attending a G20 meeting of foreign ministers.
At the time, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that while his rare conversations with his Chinese colleague in Indonesia were "constructive", he expressed concern about certain issues, such as Taiwan.
On its part, China's Foreign Ministry said, as the two superpowers seek to reduce tensions, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his US counterpart Antony Blinken on Saturday reached a "consensus" on improving ties during a G20 meeting,
"The two sides, on the basis of reciprocity and mutual benefit, reached a consensus to promote the Sino-US joint working group consultation to achieve more results," the Foreign Ministry said in a readout of the meeting.
Read next: US, China top diplomats voice 'hope' in rare talks
It is worth noting that the two powers have toned down their rhetoric and increased cooperation at a time when the West's attention is focused on the Russian military operation in Ukraine.
On Sri Lanka
In a different context, Blinken urged Sri Lanka's leaders, on Sunday, to find long-term solutions to the country's economic and political problems, claiming that Russia's blockade of Ukrainian grain may have exacerbated the situation.
On its account, Russia has constantly affirmed that it will allow Ukrainian ships carrying food to leave if Ukraine's military demines the sea and closes its ports, an option Kiev rejects.
Read next: Russia not blocking exports of Ukrainian Grain - Foreign Ministry
"It's incumbent on the government -- whether it's a new constitutionally selected government or existing government -- to work quickly to try to identify and implement solutions that will bring back the prospect of long-term economic stability," Blinken added during his visit to Bangkok.
It is worth mentioning that the United States and China have both offered in recent weeks to back Sri Lanka.
