U.S. Secretary of State John S. Blinken spoke for the first Time with the Communist Party’s top diplomat, Yang Jiechi, on Feb. 5. Blinken said the U.S. will stand up for human rights and democratic values in Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong, and hold the Chinese Communist Party accountable for threatening regional stability and peace, including across the Taiwan Strait. But these elements are not mentioned in the official statement of the Chinese Communist Party.
On the 6th of this day, Secretary of State Blinken spoke for the first time with Yang Jiechi, the director of the Foreign Affairs Working Committee Office of the Chinese Communist Party, becoming the highest level of dialogue between the United States and China in the ten days since the Biden administration took office. In an official tweet, Blinken wrote that he made it clear to Yang Jiechi during the call that the U.S. would defend national interests and stand up for democratic values, and that the Chinese Communist Party would be held accountable for abusing the international system. This includes human rights and democratic values in Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong, as well as stability in the Indo-Pacific region, including across the Taiwan Strait.
But the U.S. and Chinese statements are very different. The Chinese statement reiterated that the Taiwan issue is the most important and sensitive core issue in U.S.-China relations, and only mentioned that Blinken endorsed a willingness to work together toward a stable and constructive relationship, to move in the same direction, and to continue to uphold One-China and abide by the three U.S.-China joint communiqués. But there was no mention of the part where Blinken held the Chinese Communist Party accountable for abusing the international system.
And on Thursday, for the first time since Biden took office, the U.S. warship guided-missile destroyer Makan sailed through the Taiwan Strait. A U.S. Department of Defense spokesman said the plan, which does not require a formal signature by the secretary of defense, is intended to support freedom of navigation.
The U.S. Department of Defense spokesman Kirby: “(U.S. ships pass through the Taiwan Strait) does not require a special signature by the Secretary of Defense. The United States has many obligations in the Indo-Pacific region, (one of which is to strengthen and support) the rights and freedoms of navigation of all nations in accordance with international law, which is why we continue to enforce freedom of navigation.”
Outsiders interpreted the U.S. warships sailing through the Taiwan Strait as the Biden Administration‘s first substantive warning and response to the frequent disturbances of Taiwan by Chinese Communist Party military aircraft. Recently, however, the Chinese Communist Party has frequently shouted at the United States on the subject of red lines, and the outside world is highly concerned about how the U.S. side should continue to respond forcefully.
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