US State Secy Blinken reaffirms peace, stability across Taiwan Strait during China visit

Washington, DC [US], April 26 (ANI): Reiterating the US' support for Taiwan, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken underscored the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait during his visit to the People's Republic of China. He asserted that there has been no change to the US one China policy, according to a statement by US State Department spokesperson, Matthew Miller.
During his visit, Blinken also expressed concern over Chinese military actions at Second Thomas Shoal and reaffirmed the US commitment to the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
"The Secretary underscored the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and reiterated there has been no change to the U.S. one China policy, which is guided by the Taiwan Relations Act, the three Joint Communiques, and the Six Assurances," Miller said in his statement.
"He expressed concerns over destabilizing PRC actions at Second Thomas Shoal and the importance of upholding the rule of law and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea. The Secretary discussed the need to prevent an escalation of the crisis in the Middle East. He underscored the U.S. enduring commitment to the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," he added.
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken travelled to China's Shanghai and Beijing for meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Director of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Central Foreign Affairs Commission and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong, and Shanghai Party Secretary Chen Jining from April 24-26.
The two sides had in-depth, substantive, and constructive discussions on key priorities in the bilateral relationship and on a range of regional and global issues. The Secretary emphasized that the United States will continue to use diplomacy to make progress in areas of difference and areas of cooperation that matter to the American people and the world as part of responsibly managing competition with the PRC, the US State Department Spokesperson said.
The Secretary pressed for continued progress in implementing the leaders' Woodside Summit commitments on key issues, including advancing counternarcotics cooperation to disrupt the global flow of synthetic drugs - including fentanyl and their precursor chemicals - into the United States, enhancing military-to-military communication to avoid miscalculation and conflict, and launching talks on managing the risk and safety challenges posed by advanced forms of artificial intelligence.
The two sides also discussed the importance of strengthening ties between the people of the United States and China. The Secretary emphasized the importance of responsible and reciprocal policies to facilitate expanded exchanges between students, scholars, and businesses.
The Secretary addressed the PRC's non-market economic policies and practices that distort trade or threaten our national security and raised concern about the global economic consequences of PRC industrial overcapacity. He advocated for fair treatment and a level playing field for U.S. workers and businesses.
The Secretary reiterated that the United States will continue to take necessary actions to defend our interests and values, and those of our allies and partners, including preventing advanced U.S. technologies from being used to undermine our national security and economy without unduly limiting trade or investment.
The Secretary underscored that it remains a top priority to resolve the cases of American citizens who are wrongfully detained or subject to exit bans in China. He raised concerns about the erosion of Hong Kong's autonomy and democratic institutions and the PRC's human rights violations in Xinjiang and Tibet, as well as transnational repression and individual cases of concern.
Specifically, while meeting Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi in Beijing, Blinken discussed concerns about the PRC support to Russia's defence industrial base.
The two sides had in-depth, substantive, and constructive discussions about areas of difference as well as areas of cooperation as part of responsibly managing competition between the United States and the PRC. The Secretary discussed concerns about PRC support to the Russian defense industrial base, the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, PRC activities in the South China Sea, and the need to avoid further escalation in the Middle East and on the Korean Peninsula, Miller said in a statement.
Blinken also held a meeting with the Chinese Minister of Public Security, Wang Xiaohong and raised the issue of human rights violations within China and beyond its borders.
"Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken met today with PRC State Councilor and Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong. They reviewed implementation of commitments made by the two leaders at the Woodside Summit in November 2023, including progress on bilateral cooperation to combat global illicit drug manufacturing and trafficking," Matthew Miller said in a statement.
"The Secretary stressed the need for continued, sustained, and increased progress on counternarcotics cooperation. The Secretary raised a range of concerns regarding PRC human rights issues, both within and beyond the PRC's borders. The two sides reaffirmed the importance of maintaining open channels of communication to responsibly manage competition and to discuss key issues in the relationship," he added. (ANI)