Opinion | Why Beijing should roll out red carpet for Blinken

By Augustus K. Yeung

INTRODUCTION

The goal of Mr. Antony Blinken's visit to Beijing is to set up another meaningful meeting (like that memorable one in Bali, Indonesia last year) between the two presidents in San Francisco in November – for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation.

These two great national leaders are unmistakably the ultimate enablers in fashioning the world's war and peace.

In essence, Biden choreographed the Russia-Ukraine war, which has lasted more than a year, and America's proxy war efforts must have been causing chaos and hardships in economic and daily lives in many countries, especially EU bloc members. For this, French President Macron has once again shown signs of independence, "decoupling" Washington's influence.

Americans, too, suffer the pains of inflations as the cause and consequence of war. To amend, Biden needs "old friend" Xi Jinping.

With Donald J. Trump hooked on and booked for a second round of criminal indictments, Biden is now able, willing, and ready to hold a summit with Xi Jinping. To mend peace!

For Xi Jinping, the time to meet "old Joe" is now: China is facing domestic and economic challenges at home and abroad. The imminent issue of military conflicts with the U.S. army (given Lloyd Austin's undesirable leadership), is utmost important; there is also the brokerage in Eastern Europe awaiting the Chinese president, a leader who seems busier and more influential than ever.

In Xi's mind, the Taiwan issue is urgent and must be peacefully resolved – ironically, through talks with the U.S., which is in the direction of discarding "strategic ambiguity" for containment and confrontation.

This is the political landscape against which Mr. Blinken makes his long-delayed visit to Beijing.

Personality profiling shows that Antony Blinken is a decent and charismatic and rational person, far more superior than his predecessor Mike Pompeo.

Blinken's grief over the nation's unplanned Afghan chaotic pull-out, leaving some U.S. soldiers and civilians unattended is a vivid scene, a sign of humanitarianism.

For such a revered top diplomat with so heavy a national burden on his shoulders, China should pompously roll out the red carpet, arrange for schoolchildren as cheerleaders and together with top friendly hosts, giving "Mr. Secretary" China's warmest welcome on June 18 the moment he landed on the tarmac of Beijing airport.

Why the pomp? Blinken is that rare precious American heavy weight whose voice of decency and friendship China should cultivate and value for rainy days.

Blinken's vision has yet to be spelt out clearly

After the war in Eastern Europe, power shift is expected: Europe seeks neutral role in China-US rift. And America will run out of excuses to order EU around.

Domestically, inflation is tied to unemployment: Given China's size of economy, siding with Beijing is a guarantee that U.S. workers will be gainfully employed.

At present, "Over 1 million US jobs are supported by China trade," according to the latest record, reported China Daily.

Coping with these changes is what the U.S. Secretary of State have in mind, laying out the "preconditions" for the summit in San Francisco.

Logically, the U.S. and China should from then on step forward as responsible global actors.

China's expectations are few but essential

For now, China has essentially two expectations: First, get the U.S. side to leave Taiwan alone by not selling it arms and officially visiting the island.

Give peace a chance so that the Chinese PLA does not have to draw red-lines by resorting to joint military drills –which Taiwan sees as "no carrots but all canes".

Simply put, Washington should stop playing the "Taiwan card"; and there will be peace in the Taiwan Strait.

Next, China should make concessions to the U.S. in exchange for the dismissal of Lloyd Austin, the chief of Defense Ministry, whose "visits" and violence-laden messages are perceived by the PLA as nothing but provocation and confrontation.

During his tenure, Lloyd Austin has a history of notoriety, but no acts of peace towards China. As a "warmonger", he is a liability to U.S.-China relations.

Decommission Lloyd Austin and there will be peace in Taiwan Strait.

CONCLUSION

This article was written on Monday, but events that followed has forced rethinking as how best Beijing should receive Mr. Blinken who had a talk on the phone with FM Qin Gang on Wednesday.

Reports from both sides have deviated from previous patterns: The Qin is reminding Blinken to be faithful to the spirit of the summit talks in Bali, taking into consideration the Washington "balloonists" who had torpedoed Blinken's visit.

"Compared to Qin Gang, who touched upon almost all key issues related to the bilateral ties as well as the specific problems and their solutions, Blinken apparently chose to prevaricate by repeating what have become well-worn cliches of the Biden administration, such as expressing the US's readiness to 'use diplomatic engagements to raise areas of concerns as well as areas of potential cooperation,'" the China Daily editorial said.

"The fundamental starting point for an improvement in China-US relations is for the US side to stop hollowing out the otherwise substantial content of bilateral relations with empty promises, gaudy concepts and slick discourses. With Blinken due to make his long-mooted visit to China on Sunday and Monday, the US side should bear in mind that Beijing now only cares about what it does instead of what it says."

China's message is very clear: The Chinese are sick and tired of U.S. empty talks regardless of U.S. domestic complications that stand in the way of healthy bilateral China-US relations.

Still, I'd advise that Antony Blinken be politely, if not pompously received: Blinken is bright, and he is immensely useful.

Don't forget that Mr. Blinken has got President Biden's ears, who might be the man missing in Washington capable of speaking for China now and in the years to come.

Henry Kissinger is 100 years old; his influence still carries weight in U.S.-China relations. China has yet to find a reliable replacement.

 

The views do not necessarily reflect those of DotDotNews.

Read more articles by Augustus K. Yeung:

Opinion | To China, UNESCO will be better with US as a partner

Opinion | Secrets of Sino-U.S. war and peace as China's PLA sees it