The US and China have drawn closer diplomatically after a long period of radio silence. This is also a success for US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. However, US President Joe Biden suffered a verbal blackout after the meeting – which his chief diplomat apparently did not find funny at all.
The powder keg of the Middle East, the imperialist megalomania in the Kremlin and the tensions in the South China Sea are shaking the world. Borders are being pushed, new factions are being formed and global conflicts are no longer horror stories from a bygone era. You could also say: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is currently a busy man who has to fight a fire on several fronts at the same time.
A rather thankless job with few bright spots. Blinken should be all the more pleased that he has been able to achieve partial success recently.
Superpowers are talking to each other again
US President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping meet again. They haven’t seen each other for a year. No phone call, no video connection, nothing. One can only imagine the diplomatic efforts it took to bring world leaders back together at the table. There was a reunion in San Francisco on Thursday.
Biden and Xi sit together for several hours at the idyllic Filoli estate in Woodside, shielded from the outside world by a large contingent of police officers. The presidents consult with advisors in larger and smaller groups. Particularly when it came to the Taiwan issue, there were passionate arguments and sometimes threats of violence, participants reported.
After the meeting, it was emphasized that China and the US were not friends, but sought global stability and verbal disarmament. Pretty good enemies.
Biden repeats dictator’s statement
Shortly after the meeting, the 80-year-old demonstrated to the world press what Biden meant by this, causing his chief diplomat to make a long face. When asked by a reporter whether he would continue to call Xi a “dictator” after the rapprochement, Biden declared: “Look, he is.”
The American president could also have said: “Our ideas about how a country should be governed are fundamentally different.” But Biden opts for the diplomatic sledgehammer. He awkwardly adds that Xi is a dictator in the sense that he leads a communist country “based on a form of government that is completely different from ours.”
Blink collapses
A camera films Blinken’s reaction, which is physical. The American Secretary of State breaks down and cannot hide his disappointment. Before he probably remembers he’s sharing the room with members of the press. All the hard work of the past few months is once again in jeopardy – due to a request from his boss.
The response to check:
The outcome of the meeting actually does not support such brutal attacks. There was not much concrete: an agreement to combat the import of the painkiller fentanyl from China into the US in order to control the drug epidemic in the United States. What should help Biden in his own country in the election campaign?
Armies make contact again
In addition, there is the revival of direct communication between the presidents and the armed forces of both countries. Which just shows how far apart the superpowers had become. By their own admission, the Americans did not expect much more.
Expectations cannot increase much in the near future after Biden’s – probably unexpected – clear position. Did Blinken’s cell phone ring after this momentous press conference? In any case, the Chinese have plenty of questions.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
