United States: Mr. Antony Blinken, the United States Secretary of State, has arrived in Beijing for his first visit to China in nearly five years. The two-day trip comes at a time of strained relations between the two countries, exacerbated by the discovery of a suspected spy balloon above the US in February 2023, which led to the postponement of Mr. Blinken’s planned visit. Although China and the US have expressed hopes of improving communication, they have downplayed expectations of a major breakthrough.

US President Mr. Joe Biden downplayed the balloon incident, stating that he believed it was unintentional and more embarrassing than intentional. Mr. Biden expressed his desire to meet with Chinese President Mr. Xi Jinping again, highlighting areas of both agreement and difference. The leaders are expected to attend the next G20 summit in September 2023 and Mr. Xi has been invited to visit San Francisco in November 2023 for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting.

During his visit, Mr. Blinken is scheduled to meet with top Chinese officials and attend a banquet at the state guesthouse in the Diaoyutai gardens. A phone call between Mr. Blinken and his Chinese counterpart, Mr. Qin Gang, highlighted the tense atmosphere, with Mr. Qin emphasizing Beijing’s core concerns such as Taiwan and urging the US to stop interfering in China’s internal affairs.

Tensions between China and the US have deteriorated across various fronts, including trade, technology, and human rights. Concerns have also arisen over the potential for military clashes, particularly over Taiwan. China’s reluctance to engage in regular military-to-military talks with the US has added to the unease. Mr. Blinken stated that his trip aims to establish crisis management mechanisms, advance US and allies’ interests, and explore areas of potential cooperation.

In addition to the China visit, the US has been engaging closely with its allies. Mr. Blinken spoke with his counterparts from Japan and South Korea during his journey, and President Mr. Biden’s national security adviser, Mr. Jake Sullivan, held meetings involving Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines. Recent agreements on troop deployments in southern Japan and the northern Philippines have raised concerns in China and its neighbouring countries.

Mr. Blinken’s visit is seen as a critical step, but not sufficient on its own, in improving US-China relations. Singapore’s Foreign Minister, Mr. Vivian Balakrishnan, emphasized the need for mutual respect and strategic trust to be built over time, given the fundamental differences in outlook and values between the two countries. Mr. Blinken’s visit marks the first by a top US diplomat to Beijing since 2018 and signals the Mr. Biden administration’s approach to engaging with China in a more measured manner compared to the confrontational stance taken by the previous administration.

WORLD ROUNDUP: Early June sees record-breaking global temperatures; EU