U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken held a bilateral meeting with Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly on Friday (23rd), the first since the two met at the G20 (G20) foreign ministers meeting in Indonesia in July. During the first meeting, Blinken emphasized to Wang Yi that it is crucial to maintain peace and stability in Taiwan.
The U.S. official said: “The meeting between the two lasted regarding 90 minutes, and Taiwan was the focus of their ‘direct and candid’ talks. Blinken made it clear that according to the long-standing U.S. one-China policy, this policy has not changed, maintaining cross-strait relations. Peace and stability are absolutely vital.”
U.S. officials also mentioned that Blinken reiterated at the meeting that the U.S. is open to cooperation with China on issues of global concern. But Blinken also stressed that the United States and China, as well as the international community, have an obligation to work to address the impact of the invasion and prevent further provocative actions by Russia, warning that China would face consequences for assisting Russia in the invasion of Ukraine.
The Xinhua News Agency quoted Wang Yi’s speech at the meeting as saying: “The current Sino-US relationship has suffered a serious impact, and the US side needs to learn from it. Sino-US relations are at a critical juncture. With the interference and connivance of the US side, Taiwan independence is destructive and dangerous. The extremely sexual ‘grey rhino’ is rushing towards us and must be resolutely stopped.”
The U.S. State Department previously stated that the meeting between Blinken and Wang Yi was part of the U.S.’s ongoing efforts to “maintain open channels of communication and manage competition responsibly.” The outside world also believed that it was the first to pave the way for the “visiting meeting” between the U.S. and Chinese heads of state.
