Secretary of State Blinken called on China to treat American companies fairly

US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said that at a meeting with Shanghai Secretary Tran Cat Ninh on April 25, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken raised concerns about “trade policies and economic activities”. non-market economy” of China.

Mr. Blinken “emphasized that the United States seeks healthy economic competition with China as well as a level playing field for American workers and companies operating in China.”

Mr. Ninh said that the recent phone call between the leaders helped maintain “stable and healthy development in the relationship between the two countries”.

“Whether we choose cooperation or confrontation affects the prosperity of both peoples, two countries and the future of humanity,” Mr. Ninh added.

Secretary of State Blinken is scheduled to travel to Beijing on April 26 for talks with his counterpart, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, and possibly meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping. These meetings are predictably tense.

As soon as Mr. Blinken landed in Shanghai, US President Joe Biden signed a rare bipartisan bill that included $8 billion to counter China’s military power, as well as billions of dollars in defense aid for China. Taiwan and 61 billion USD in aid to Ukraine.

Mr. Biden also signed a separate bill related to banning the Chinese video sharing application TikTok.

Washington and Beijing increasingly disagree over the activities of American companies in China, as well as over China’s exports and production capacity. In addition, tensions also increased because the US suspected China of supporting Russia in the war in Ukraine.

China rejects criticism that its production capacity is too high, adding that its industries, from electric vehicles to solar panels, are competitive and innovative .

According to experts, this visit to China by Secretary of State Blinken is the latest high-level contact between the two countries, aimed at easing the tension that brought bilateral relations to a historic low early last year.

Sources said that the topics Mr. Blinken will discuss include the crisis in the Middle East, the war situation between Russia and Ukraine, and issues related to the Taiwan Strait and the East Sea.

The head of US diplomacy will also discuss the roadmap on three main issues agreed by President Biden and President Xi Jinping in their talks in November 2023, including cooperation on anti-drugs, communication channel between the two countries’ militaries and artificial intelligence (AI).