Blinken scheduled to meet with China VP on sidelines of UNGA

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
18 Sep 2023 19:03

The discussions are taking place as the US closely observes significant personnel shifts within Beijing.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks at a chiefs of mission reception in the East Room of the White House in Washington, on June 13, 2023. (AP)

The State Department said on its public schedule on Monday that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is due to hold a meeting with China's Vice President, marking the most recent high-level bilateral talks between China and the US.

Blinken is scheduled to meet with Han Zheng, China's Vice-President, in New York during the United Nations General Assembly sessions. The discussions are taking place as the US closely observes significant personnel shifts within Beijing.

In July, Qin Gang, who had been chosen by President Xi Jinping as the foreign minister, was suddenly replaced by the experienced policymaker Wang Yi.

At first, American officials had anticipated Wang's attendance at the yearly UN gathering, where there was a possibility of a brief meeting with President Joe Biden. However, China later announced that Han, who is relatively less prominent, would be attending instead.

Nonetheless, Wang, who also serves as the director of the Communist Party's foreign policy, engaged in discussions with Jake Sullivan, Biden's national security advisor, during the weekend in Malta, where the Chinese Foreign Minister underscored that Taiwan is a red flag that must be observed in accordance with the One China Principle.

China considers the One China principle a main condition when engaging with foreign countries. The political doctrine was reached during a joint communique between the US and the PRC where the latter "acknowledges that all Chinese on either side of the Taiwan Strait maintain there is but one China and that Taiwan is a part of China" and "does not challenge that position."

But in recent years, despite claiming otherwise, the US has been breaching its commitment to the policy, as it held several high-level talks with Taiwanese officials, boosted weapons sales to the island, and increased its military presence in the Taiwan Strait.