Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang told Secretary of State Antony Blinken the US should stop hurting China’s security interests in the name of competition in a call before the American official’s expected trip to Beijing.
Qin also urged the US to effectively manage differences to stabilize relations between the world’s two largest economies, according to a statement released Wednesday by the Foreign Ministry in Beijing. The US should implement the consensus of the Bali meeting between President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping in November, he added.
Blinken raised a range of bilateral and global issues with the Chinese official, according to the State Department.
“The secretary discussed the importance of maintaining open lines of communication to responsibly manage the US-PRC relationship to avoid miscalculation and conflict,” State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement.
See: Blinken Plans Trip to Beijing in Bid to Stabilize US-China Ties
Blinken is apparently planning to travel to Beijing for a rescheduled trip seen as a significant step toward restoring high-level communications between the rivals. Ties were derailed by an alleged Chinese spy balloon crossing the US earlier this year. Beijing said the aircraft was collecting weather data.
The visit would be part of Biden’s effort to restore some normalcy to a relationship that continues to be roiled by military encounters, punitive economic measures and accusations from both sides that the other is jeopardizing global stability.
A Blinken visit to Beijing was one of the main outcomes from the meeting between the top leaders in Bali. They haven’t spoken since then, with Biden unable to secure a phone call with Xi after the balloon incident.
More: US-China Handshake Fails to Stem Fears of Conflict in Asia
Qin also “stated his solemn position on China’s core concerns such as the Taiwan issue,” according to the ministry statement, calling on the US to “stop interfering in China’s internal affairs.”
Earlier this month, a Chinese vessel harassed an American warship transiting the Taiwan Strait, an incident that occurred days after Taipei and Washington signed a trade agreement.
China has pledged to bring Taiwan under its control someday, by force if necessary. Biden has repeatedly said the US would defend Taiwan if it was attacked.
(Updates with more detail.)
