Xi tells Blinken US that China should be 'partner, not rival'

Chinese President Xi Jinping told top US diplomat Antony Blinken on Friday (April 26) that the world's two largest economies should be partners, not rivals, but that there were a number of issues to be resolved in their relationship.

Blinken, in China for the second time in less than a year, met with Chinese political leaders in the capital Beijing, where U.S. officials said he would directly address crucial points of difference including Russia, Taiwan and the trade.

Meeting Blinken at Beijing's Great Hall of the People, Xi said the two countries had made positive progress since meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden last year, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

The two countries should be partners, not rivals, Xi said.

There are still a number of issues to be resolved and further efforts can still be made, the Chinese leader added.

We hope the United States can also take a positive view of China's development, he added.

When this fundamental problem is resolved…relationships can truly stabilize, improve, and move forward.

Earlier, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi warned Blinken that US pressure could trigger a downward spiral, with the visiting diplomat raising concerns over issues including support for Russia.

Wang also warned that the issue of Taiwan's autonomy is the first red line that must not be crossed in China-US relations.

Blinken described his talks with Wang at the Diaoyutai state guest house, which lasted more than five and a half hours, as thorough and constructive.

America's top diplomat will speak to reporters Friday at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing.

China is exasperated by Biden's pressure on the economic front, which is unlikely to ease in an election year, including a sweeping ban on semiconductor exports and efforts to wrest the video app from TikTok success to its Chinese owners.

Wang told Blinken that relations between the two countries were beginning to stabilize, particularly after Biden and Xi met in November near San Francisco.

But at the same time, negative factors in the relationship continue to grow and strengthen, Wang said.

China's legitimate development rights have been unreasonably suppressed and our core interests are facing challenges, he said, calling for respect for everyone's core interests.

Should China and the United States continue on the right path toward stability, or return to a downward spiral?

This is a major issue for our two countries and tests our sincerity and capabilities.

U.S. officials and experts say Xi's top priority is managing headwinds in China's economy and that, at least in the short term, he is seeking to avoid tensions with the West.

Blinken raised concerns with Wang about China's support for Russia, which quickly rebuilt its military base two years after its invasion of Ukraine, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said .

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced this week that he would visit China in May.

Opening the meeting with Wang, Blinken said China and the United States should manage their relationship responsibly and added: I hope we will make progress on the issues our presidents have agreed on during the California summit.

The two countries need to be as clear as possible about where we have differences, at least to avoid misunderstandings and miscalculations, Blinken said.

This is truly a shared responsibility that we have not only to our own people, but also to people around the world, given the impact of our relationship, he said.

Biden, who recently spoke on the phone with Xi, will face a tough re-election fight in November against his predecessor Donald Trump, who made China his enemy and promised a hard line.

The Biden administration has highlighted victories achieved by its diplomacy with China, including what officials say is Beijing's first crackdown in years on producers of chemical precursors to fentanyl, the painkiller behind a addiction epidemic in the United States.

But although he is open to cooperation, Biden has increased pressure on China beyond Trump in some areas.

In the latest move, the US Congress, with Biden's support, voted to force the divestment of TikTok from Chinese company ByteDance or risk a ban in the US.

U.S. officials cite security and privacy concerns with the app, which has gained traction among U.S. teens.

ByteDance denies the allegations and has insisted it has no intention of selling. AFP