Uncertainties surround Blinken Asia tour: Global Times
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The US bolstering its front with China despite soaring tensions in Europe with Russia over Ukraine reflects that Beijing still tops Washington's priorities.
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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken
The trip of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to the Asia-Pacific for the Quad meeting will kick off on Monday, which will include several meetings that will see him trying to push against China's regional influence, the Chinese media outlet Global Times said.
Experts, on the other hand, said many huge uncertainties were surrounding the visit on whether the US diplomat would be able to reach any tangible agreements with the Asian countries he will visit. Experts also say it would be impossible for Washington to reach its goal of strengthening and increasing the integration of the Quad alliance.
The US touring the Asia-Pacific as tensions over Ukraine soar reflects its agenda and how China still tops it. Washington is seeking to promote economic affairs with the countries of the region to undermine Beijing.
However, those are wary of the US with many underlying doubts, meaning, apart from accusations with relation to domestic affairs, the Quad is unlikely to reach any consensus with their Western ally.
The Quad meetings will see Blinken talking with his counterparts from Japan, India, and Australia in the Oceanian country in a visit that will last Wednesday through Saturday. After that, he will head to Fiji then Hawaii to meet with his counterparts from Japan and South Korea and discuss their issues with North Korea.
The United States, through the Quad meeting, wants to promote economic agendas within the alliance's mechanism in an assertion of Biden's belief that Washington to compete with China economically no matter what the point of conflict, Li Haidong, a professor from the Institute of International Relations of China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times.
He also said there were many uncertainties regarding the US assumptions about realizing its goals as it wishes and whether it would be able to consolidate and effectively run a security dialogue mechanism within the alliance.
Referring to the 2022 midterm elections, Li said there was a huge chance US policy will change if Democrats lose, and that same policy will take a vast turn if a Republican takes office in 2024, which is prompting the Quad member states not to put too much faith in Washington.
Xin stressed that China was no threat to the Quad countries, though it is bolstering its economy, making it unlikely for Tokyo, New Delhi, or Canberra to go entirely against China as the US hopes.
