Blinken Welcomes China’s Top Diplomat in Washington as Talks Get Underway

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi prior to meetings at the State Department in Washington, on Oct. 26, 2023. Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday, marking the start of the Chinese official’s three-day visit to Washington.

Standing next to his Chinese counterpart, Mr. Blinken welcomed Mr. Wang to the State Department, saying that he looked forward to “constructive conversations over the next two days.”

After Mr. Blinken made his brief statement, Mr. Wang said the two countries have “disagreements” and “differences,” but the two sides also share “important common interests” and need to face challenges together.

“Therefore, China and the United States need to have dialogue. Not only should we resume dialogue, the dialogue should be in-depth and comprehensive,” Mr. Wang said, before adding that dialogue would help “reduce misunderstanding.”

In response to Mr. Wang’s remarks, Mr. Blinken said, “I agree with what the foreign minister said.”

Aside from meeting Mr. Blinken, Mr. Wang is also scheduled to meet with White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan on Oct. 27. There are reports that Mr. Wang will also speak to President Joe Biden on Friday, but the White House has not confirmed the meeting.

National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan speaks during a press briefing at the White House in Washington on Sept. 21, 2023. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times

On Thursday, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters that Mr. Sullivan “is looking forward to this discussion with Wang Yi.”

“It’ll be an opportunity for Mr. Sullivan to, obviously, address areas of concern that we continue to have with some of—some of the PRC behavior, particularly in the South China Sea,” Mr. Kirby added, referring to China’s official name, the People’s Republic of China.

Mr. Kirby added, “It will also be an opportunity to explore ways in which we can continue to keep these channels open and to try to get open the military-to-military channel of communication … which is still closed.”

Mr. Kirby said the conflict in the Middle East will surely be part of the discussion with Mr. Wang. He added that the U.S. side is “certainly looking for ways to encourage” the Chinese side “to be helpful.”

When asked what he meant by wanting China to be “helpful,” Mr. Kirby explained that “they are able to have conversations in some places like Tehran that we aren’t.”

“I think it would be irresponsible if we didn’t try to explore this issue with them and see what their thoughts and perspectives are,” Mr. Kirby concluded.

National Security Council spokesman John Kirby speaks during the daily briefing in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House on Oct. 26, 2023. Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images

On Oct. 26, Israel’s envoy in Taiwan, Maya Yaron, reiterated Israel’s disappointment with China for not condemning Hamas terrorists for attacking innocent civilians.

“This is actually something that is very disturbing with China,” Ms. Yaron said in Taipei.

‘Failed to Condemn Hamas’

Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.), a member of the Select Committee on Intelligence, wrote a letter to President Biden on Oct. 26, calling on the president to make sure that his administration focuses on China’s role in fentanyl production and the Israel–Hamas war during talks with Mr. Wang.

“Over the last several weeks, Foreign Minister Yi has failed to condemn Hamas’ horrific slaughter of civilians and taking of hostages,” Mr. Casey wrote.

Mr. Casey criticized Mr. Wang over his recent comments that Israel’s actions “have gone beyond self-defense” in response to Hamas’s attacks.

“Any country whose citizens are brutally attacked, kidnapped, and murdered by a terrorist group should be able to respond in full force,” Mr. Casey wrote.

“To criticize Israel’s defensive response without first criticizing Hamas’ indiscriminate slaughter of the innocent not only discredits China’s ambitions of moral leadership on the global stage, but also plays into Hamas’ strategy to turn the international community against Israel and its right to defend itself.”

Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) speaks at a rally and march in Washington on Nov. 16, 2021. Jemal Countess/Getty Images for SEIU

Mr. Casey wanted Biden administration officials to “impress upon [Mr. Wang] the importance of denouncing Hamas’ acts of terrorism against Israel and its military tactics of hiding behind civilians in violation of international law.”

The Pennsylvania senator also wanted Mr. Wang to “call on Hamas to release its remaining hostages.”

Additionally, Mr. Casey would like to know about China’s efforts to stop the shipping of Chinese fentanyl precursors to Mexican cartels, which have been buying ingredients from China to make the synthetic opioid drugs and then trafficking the finished products to the United States.

“I encourage your Administration to impress upon Foreign Minister Yi the importance of China’s cooperation in addressing the ongoing fentanyl crisis and precursor trafficking,” Mr. Casey wrote.

“I understand that in June 2023, the Chinese government indicated that it was in the process of scheduling three additional fentanyl precursors,” Mr. Casey added. “It is critical for the PRC to engage with the United States and take the steps necessary to combat the fentanyl crisis, and I urge your Administration to press Foreign Minister Yi for updates on its efforts, including scheduling additional fentanyl precursors.”

In 2022, 73,654 deaths were attributed to fentanyl overdoses, twice as many as in 2019.

Correction: A previous version of this article misspelled the name of Antony Blinken. The Epoch Times regrets the error.